Syria in 2017 (January-April)

[OUTLAW 09]

Heavy clashes also underway at Deir Ezzor's 137 Brigade base, with some claims of IS having breached its walls

DeirEzzor: Many fake news about the military situation in #DeirEzzor by pro-#Assad accounts today.

[OUTLAW 09]

Trump's secretary of state Tillerson takes Putin's - not Obama's - position on Syria: separates Assad and ISIS.
http://www.businessinsider.com/tillerson-isis-plan-2017-1#

[OUTLAW 09]

ISIS vid from fighting in northern Syria: Destroyed Leopard 2A4s. Performance of German MBT vs ATGM rather mediocre.

[OUTLAW 09]

New Satellite Imagery Shows Russian Su-24 Jets at the Hmeimim Air Base via @bellingcat
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2017/01/20/new-satellite-imagery-shows-russian-su-24-jets-hmeimim-air-base/#

[Azor]

by GUY PLOPSKY at War is Boring (originally published at The National Interest): https://warisboring.com/surprise-russias-anti-aircraft-missiles-in-syria-are-not-as-capable-as-believed-a05fda744c92#.lp7zc07vc


When Moscow deployed one of its advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile system to Syria following the shoot down of a Russian Su-24 strike aircraft by a Turkish F-16 in late November 2015, both Russian and Western media sources were quick to note that the system is capable of engaging targets at ranges of up to 400 kilometers thanks to a new long-range missile known as the 40N6.

Similar assertions were made following subsequent deployments of S-400 systems to Kaliningrad and Crimea. Yet, more than a year after the deployment to Syria, there is little evidence to suggest that the 40N6 is in fact operational.

Much of the confusion on whether the 40N6 has been fielded with the S-400 system has to do with another advanced Russian SAM system — known as the S-300V4 — which Russian troops began receiving in late 2014.
In March 2015, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that a new unspecified 400 kilometer-range missile intended for use with the S-300V4 had entered service with Russia’s military, leading a number of Russian media sources to assume that the missile in question is the 40N6.
These assumptions, however, proved wrong.

The following month, a Russian defense source told Russia’s TASS news agency that a new long-range missile for the S-400 system was scheduled to complete state trails in May-June of the same year. The source further noted that “the range of the new missile is the same as that of the recently adopted missile for the S-300V4 army air defense system,” but possess superior characteristics.

Although the Defense Ministry source did not name the S-400 system’s new missile, the above statement was a clear reference to the 40N6. In fact, hints that the S-300V4 and the S-400 would utilize different missiles with similar ranges emerged following a February 2015 article in the authoritative Russian-language aerospace journal Vozdushno-Kosmicheskaya Oborona in which its authors mentioned a new long-range missile for the S-300V4 known as the 9M82MV.

According to the article, the 9M82MV was successfully tested in 2004 and 2006, and is capable of intercepting targets at up to 350 kilometers away.
Final confirmation that the 40N6 is different from the missile utilized in the S-300V4 system came in September 2016 when a representative of the Almaz-Antey Concern — the primary manufacturer of the S-300V4 — told reporters that the S-300V4 will utilize a new 400 kilometer-range missile known as the 9M82MD.

Unlike the 40N6 which is developed by the Fakel Machine-building Design Bureau, the 9M82MD is developed by the Novator Design Bureau, meaning that this missile is clearly not the 40N6.

Further evidence for the absence of the 40N6 in Russian SAM units can be found in images of S-400 systems deployed in Syria and elsewhere.
A quick online search of the S-400 system’s transporter-erector-launchers reveals images in which they are visible only in its “typical” configuration — that is with four paired missile container-launchers.

Given that the S-400’s 48N6DM/48N6E3 missiles, which have a claimed maximum operational range of 250 kilometers, occupy the entire length of the container-launcher, it is quite possible that the longer-ranged — and presumably bigger — 40N6 requires a larger container-launcher.

This means a single TEL may only be able to carry two such missiles.
Indeed, the S-300V4 system’s TELs that transport the large 200 kilometer-range 9M82M and 400 kilometer-range 9M82MD missiles are fitted with just two large container-launchers per vehicle. It is therefore not unreasonable to assume that the new missile is not yet operational.

[OUTLAW 09]

While we watched the #inaugiration distraction, Russia & Syria signed a 50-year agreement for deployment of RU nuclear subs/ships.at Syria.

Here's the full text of the unannounced treaty that makes Syria a de facto perpetual free military base of Russia
http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/Document/GetFile/0001201701200039?type=pdf#…

Up to 11 [nuclear] ships will be able to dock in at any time. Agreement
automatically extended for 25 further years after inital 49 term.

* RU has no-cost right to use Syrian territory for deployment of its bases
* Syrian gov't have no right of access
* Full immunity for RU

BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT.....

Even if the anti Assad opposition gets into power. and Assad is thrown out...they still have to deal with Putin and Russia for 49 plus 25 years...Syria is now effectively part and parcel of the Russian sphere of influence FOREVER....

Thanks to Obama ditching 70 odd years of US ME FP and we will be thanking trump as well as he wants to eradicate IS using Russia and Assad and IRAN.....

[OUTLAW 09]

First mission for those Russian T62Ms which were suppose to have been destroyed under OSCE agreements that Russian signed and did not hold to....

First mission of the recently incoming T-62M tank is in the perimeter of T4 airbase.

[OUTLAW 09]

Denmark to Send Special Forces Into Syria | via @UPI
http://tinyurl.com/jswgvk5

After Syria next is Libya....
What game is Russia playing in Libya?
http://al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/01/russia-game-libya-hifter-syria-gna.html

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express....

ВМФ Ropucha class LSTM #Бф BF Korolev 130 returned from #Tartus #Syria , transited Bosphorus & entered Black Sea

[OUTLAW 09]

What the heck is Turkey now up to.....first they stated that Assad must remain and now supposedly this.....

Assad media: #Turkey to withdraw from #alBab area, "allowing the SAA to liberate the town".
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/turkish-forces-allow-syrian-army-liberate-al-bab-report/#

So it is going to be YPG/PKK, Hezbollah and IRGC?????

BUT WAIT...the US said it had a large Arab army ready to take Raqqa and al Bab....nothing about a Arab Shia army?????

[OUTLAW 09]

Al Arabiya English
✔
@AlArabiya_Eng
#BREAKING: Reports: Blast rocks #refugee camp near #Syria-Jordan border
http://ara.tv/mcsjs

Not confirmed as to the cause and type of blast but big is being reported....

[OUTLAW 09]

Al Arabiya English
✔
@AlArabiya_Eng
#BREAKING: Reports: Blast rocks #refugee camp near #Syria-Jordan border
http://ara.tv/mcsjs

Not confirmed as to the cause and type of blast but big is being reported....

Syria BREAKING dozens killed and injured in suicidal attack on al-Ruknan IDP camp near Jordanian-Iraqi border

Question is....... IS and or Shia?????

[OUTLAW 09]

Peshmerga Rojava commander"we will go back to #Syria but not soon,It will be according to US policy"

Free Syrian Army forces destroy #Daesh car bomb before reaching its target in al-Saflania, rural east #Aleppo

Breaking || Rural #Damascus
2 children & 4 women killed in east #Ghouta's #Douma after regime shelled civilian area with many missiles

[OUTLAW 09]

Background & info about situation in Wadi Barada, north west rural #Damascus

[OUTLAW 09]

Two suicide bombers have blown themselves up in Saudi Arabia's second city of Jeddah, local media have reported

[OUTLAW 09]

Six Russian Tu-22M3 bombers reportedly strike IS targets in Syria's Deir ez-Zur province.
http://bit.ly/2iNLWfk
#
.

[OUTLAW 09]

Trump's White House national security staff is almost all military intelligence officers. What could go wrong?

Flynn is creating the most military-heavy National Security Council of the modern era....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/flynn-is-creatin...


Flynn is under pressure to show Trump he can make relatively quick progress in the struggle against terrorism, especially in Iraq and Syria. That’s the straightest line for Flynn to establish himself as indispensable with a new president who has set up a team of rivals. To succeed in the long run, however, Flynn and Trump will need to assemble an NSC staff with diverse backgrounds that can approach problems not only from a military lens.


NOW we are having an intelligence analysis competition between the NSC and the entire 17 member IC board.....

BUT WAIT it will be seriously missing the strategic level strategy needed to formulate an effective FP...all of these military choices will in the end only provide tactical answers....to strategic problems...

Military staffs have had a poor track record of "planning"...AND yes even Flynn....

BLUF:
I'll take "Endless, doomed, and globally-destabilizing war on Islam" for $500, Alex.

[OUTLAW 09]

Biggest Trump danger isn't that he implements crazy policies but that thru incompetence & inexperience WH crashes the whole natsec system.

Wall Street Journal
Verified account
‏U.S. under Trump won’t send a delegation to Syria talks
State Department cites demands of transition for decision not to send a delegation to Kazakhstan

http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-under-trump-wont-send-a-delegation-to-sy...

BUT WAIT...Iran did not want the US to come...the Turks did and the UN stated it must be under UN supervision...
Why bother when Trump is just gonna do whatever Putin wants in #Syria anyway?

[OUTLAW 09]

Every time someone talks up Russia's success in Syria, point them toward the pathetic inability to hold Palmyra.

Raqqa: #ISIS has killed 4 #YPG fighters, 3 are from #Turkey.

Russian air force Tu-22M3 dropped dumb bombs on "#ISIS positions around #DeirEzzor" yesterday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPWMwuKUpgM#

DeirEzzor: Massive destruction in #DeirEzzor after heavy #Assad and #Russia|n airstrikes.

Damascus: Rebels have killed #Assad Brigadier General Asaf Badour in #Qaboun, #Damascus, today.

Another child that got injured in the same artillery attack near #Talbisah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Ecwud0I9s#

Another "ceasefire" day in #Syria.
Violence reduced sharply.
Still, civilians are hit daily by pro-#Assad forces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3XxPOe-MdU#

More footage of smoke after an "artillery attack" on rural #Homs province by pro-#Assad forces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuu4FZbx8D8#

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears regime morale flagging in Deir Ezzor: executions of deserters, press-ganging into service, and now arrests of pro-regime militants

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Airstrikes on #Talbisa in northern #Homs
https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=u_Hgu43Fs_M#

The same happens in #Hama prov. right now.
Air strikes on #Lataminah, #KafrZita and #Morek.

Severe #AssadPutin air strikes on civilians in besieged #Homs province.
All major cities- #Talbisah, #Rastan and #Houla -hit.

Syria Airstrikes on Al-Lataminah in northern #Hama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFk9PkBUFS8#

Syria Airstrikes on Kafr Zita in northern #Hama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfOk0809su4#

Syria Airstrikes on #Rastan in northern #Homs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7pwwrB48ZE#

Syria Airstrikes on #Houla area in northern #Homs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et6oX7iyU7Y#

BUT WAIT...when you break the chinaware you own the china shop is an old Russian saying...especially when you destroy by air strikes virtually everything.

Gazeta.ru examines Syria's dire humanitarian needs. Moscow meeting only an insignificant part of them.
http://bit.ly/2kf18yc

Syria #DeirEzzor Still unclear if #IS assault on Panorama RB & radar base near airports were successful or repelled

Trump Won’t Send U.S. Delegation to Syria Talks in Astana Starting Tomorrow
http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-under-trump-wont-send-a-delegation-to-syria-talks-1485019644#

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Naval Express.....

Russian Navy BSF's Project 733S Okhtenskiy class rescue tug SB-5 southbound on the Bosphorus

[OUTLAW 09]

Raqqa: #ISIS has killed Paolo Todd, foreign #YPG fighter from #LosAngeles, #California.

[OUTLAW 09]

DeirEzzor: #ISIS has destroyed an #Assad tank near the #Al_Fourat University with ATGM today.

Aleppo: #YPG shelled #FSA positions near #Azaz with mortars.

Latakia: #Russia|n airstrike has hit a village near #Jableh in #Latakia Province today. It's #Assad regime area.

Syria #Assad forces regained Panorama RB south of #DeirEzzor

Assad regime helicopter air strikes on towns across #Hama province continued throughout the day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fitNUREYoYc#

Jaish al-Mujahideen drone footage shows accurate mortar hits on group of loyalists in Military Academy, Aleppo
https://youtu.be/8lQUx84uDto

[OUTLAW 09]

Middle East Eye
✔
@MiddleEastEye
Saddam Hussein's grandson says the Baath party, not IS, is the main fighting force in Iraq
http://ow.ly/lFy5308eoWc

Very interesting to read as it goes back to my old friend al Duri......

[OUTLAW 09]

Head of Syrian opp delegation Alloush: we discuss ceasefire, then we can discuss other things. We are 1s fighting terrorists.

All you need to know about Russian Information Warfare from a @NATO point of view.
http://www.ndc.nato.int/download/downloads.php?icode=506#

Al Arabiya: Ukraine seizes Iran-bound plane ‘carrying missiles’
http://dlvr.it/N9qBdS

[OUTLAW 09]

WadiBarada: fierce clashes & shelling continue on Ain Al-Fijah front as pro-Regime forces are trying to enter into the village.

Anticipated direct talks btwn Syrian sides is instead shuttle diplomacy. Delegates call each other terrorists. #AstanaProcess Day1

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukraine has announced that it has seized an airplane destined for #Iran loaded with #Russian anti-tank missiles:
http://goo.gl/DDoSMw

Here is the VIDEO of Ukrainian border guard intercepting Iranian bound anti-tank missiles (9K111 Fagot)
https://youtu.be/BhQTz2xtfrs

[OUTLAW 09]

"The Americans can’t go back to being the only super#power.” on Trump's Mideast prospects after eight years of Obama
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/trump-might-not-find-it-easy-to-assert-a-us-role-in-the-middle-east/2017/01/21/474b76e0-d918-11e6-a0e6-d502d6751bc8_story.html?utm_term=.e39f31750d5c#

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia Naval Express....

Russian Navy's Sorum Class (Prj745) sea going tug MB-304 is approaching Istanbul from South with floating crane SPK-46150 (Prj02690) in tow.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia, for first time I am aware, says Syria government forces are violating the ceasefire
https://twitter.com/zeinakhodraljaz/status/823547561554444289#

[OUTLAW 09]

Homs: #ISIS shelling #Tiyas Airbase with Grad rockets and heavy artillery.

Russia Claims First Joint Raid With Coalition
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/latest-syria-talks-focused-truce-begin-kazakhstan-44979106#
… Still unconfirmed by Washington.

[OUTLAW 09]

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov confirms troops from the Caucus region are serving as military police in Aleppo
http://u.afp.com/4qRr

Photos...videos and comments on this were previously posted but Chechnya denied sending troops....NOW admits....

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia supply Shiite Jihadis from Harakat #Hezbollah al-Nujaba (#Iraq militia) with modern T-90 tanks in south eastern #Aleppo #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

Jihadists in Syria launch assault on rebels attending peace talks
http://reut.rs/2jsumJW

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears the so called Astana peace talks have largely failed...a joint Russian..Turkish and Iranian statement but no Syria statement.....

WHO did not see that coming a mile off....???? As Assad has continued to attack even though there is a so called Russian ceasefire in place....

As with all Russian so called ceasefire talsk..it is all about PR for Russia and in this case Iran and Turkey as well...

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears the so called Astana peace talks have largely failed...a joint Russian..Turkish and Iranian statement but no Syria statement.....

WHO did not see that coming a mile off....???? As Assad has continued to attack even though there is a so called Russian ceasefire in place....

As with all Russian so called ceasefire talsk..it is all about PR for Russia and in this case Iran and Turkey as well...

"If #Syria govt forces take #WadiBarada tonight, #Astana is finished." says rebel spokesman. #astanatalks

The #Astana final document.
#Turkey, #Russia and #Iran declare #Assad's #Syria a "democratic State".

[OUTLAW 09]

"If #Syria govt forces take #WadiBarada tonight, #Astana is finished." says rebel spokesman. #astanatalks

The #Astana final document.
#Turkey, #Russia and #Iran declare #Assad's #Syria a "democratic State".



AFP news agency
✔
@AFP
#BREAKING Russia envoy says draft of new Syria constitution handed to rebels

Defense Minister Lieberman says Israel holding talks with
Russia about ultimate settlement in Syria.

[OUTLAW 09]

JUST IN: Trump administration has offered Baghdad increased 'assistance' - Iraq PM.
http://reut.rs/2kp6BCL

BUT does attend the Astana Syrian talks....

Something that the Team Trump urgently needs to read and then reread and read again....

Combating al-Qaeda in Syria: A STRATEGY FOR THE NEXT ADMINISTRATIONhttps://timep.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Combating-al-Qaeda-in-Syria.pdf

[Azor]

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSKBN1580PW


...In northwest Syria, heavy fighting erupted between the jihadist group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and Free Syrian Army factions who were represented at the Astana talks.

FSA groups are still reeling after being driven from Aleppo city last month by government forces and their allies. Any further loss of territory in their main northern stronghold - this time at the of jihadist insurgents - could leave them too weak to achieve any meaningful gains from peace negotiation...

[OUTLAW 09]

Raqqa: #ISIS launched a counter-offensive against #YPG and recaptured several villages.

Damascus: Rebels have repelled #Assad regime attacks in Eastern #Ghouta and destroyed 3 regime tanks today.

IMPORTANT
Syria|n Opposition & #JFS full-scale conflict started. Factions involved so far #InfoGraphic:
https://goo.gl/927OAb

[OUTLAW 09]

Another location @mod_russia claimed they didn't bomb was this mosque, but satellite imagery shows the damage is clear.

[OUTLAW 09]

Turkey and Syria not in total agreement about al Babhttp://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1580OE?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews#

[OUTLAW 09]

The Russian hacking and the Russian ties to Team Tramp are getting a tad harder and firmer in the last week....

THIS is a serious warning to all users of Kaspersky Internet Security software...for the last several years Kaspersky was privy to a number of types of free in the wild malware that they had known about but had not informed the rest of the global internet security companies about allowing them to upgrade their own security tools...many accused Kaspersky of unfair competition....

SOME of us have questioned who Kaspersky in the end answers to as they reside in Russia and their CEO is close personal friends to the FSB General...Kasperskly CEO fluffed off those worries stating his customer database is secure and protected and has no connections to the FSB.
BUT with events in Russia over the last two years and the tightening of Russian FSB control since Ukraine...that fluff off excuse can no longer hold water..

REMEMBER the ultra secret NSA internet company "The Equation Company" that worked for 15 or so years undetected on the internet was "discovered" by Kaspersky Labs...when even US companies had not discovered them.

NOW through this arrest for treason being charged against a FSB Major...actually being publicly made is first of all amazing and secondly the assumption is it is tied to the Russian hacking and Russian influence operations during the Trump campaign....hence the massive overreaction of the FSB....

It is interesting that via Russia news media it comes out that Kaspersky has a Major Crimes Lab run by a cyber expert who is a MAJ in the FSB when all along Kaspersky CEO has said they have no connections to the Russian FSB outside of his being friends with the FSB General...now we see FSB cyber personnel employed by Kaspersky...

Kaspersky confirmed arrest of its cyber-crime chief on charges for treason, He access to state secret due to co's collaboration with FSB.

Maj. Ruslan Stoyanov, Chief of Cyber Crime at Kaspersky, arrested along with FSB Cyber Security Deputy Chief Ser. MIhailov since December.
There is possible tie in back to the top former FSB General who was found also in DEC dead (killed was the first report but a week later changed to heart attack) in the backseat of his car in Moscow.

THIS story will keep getting deeper over the coming weeks as some are now tying this to the Russian hacking in the US...the Russian top hackers arrested in Prague and Spain and links now to certain Russian mafia types in the US who had ties to Trump.....

HERE is what is known as of today....

1. Sergey Mihailov was arguably the top internet authority at FSB, holding huge sway over the internet business in RU. It seems Mihailov

2. is charged with treason for "passing information to foreign information for money brokered by top cyber security company officer (=Stoyanov)

3. So the story is taking shape. Kaspersky's Stoyanov convinced (bribed) FSB top internet sec officer to share data on RU hacking. With whom?

4. Clearly "Steele" is one poss. answer. But it might be directly to CIA. Remember what Clapper said on FoxNews last week?

BTW....
Reference a Fox News story from 2013 that is interesting now to the five US national security agency investigating Russian hacking and Russian ties to Team Trump.....

The indicted gambling shark mentioned in this story - in hiding from US in Russia - was in the VIP section with @POTUS at Miss Universe 2013

RAN his illegal gambling network out of Trump Tower....

Two Defendants Sentenced For Participating In Racketeering Conspiracy With Russian-American Organized Crime Enterprise Operating International Sportsbook That Laundered Over $100 Million via the internet
APRIL 30 2014

[OUTLAW 09]

The Russian hacking and the Russian ties to Team Tramp are getting a tad harder and firmer in the last week....

THIS is a serious warning to all users of Kaspersky Internet Security software...for the last several years Kaspersky was privy to a number of types of free in the wild malware that they had known about but had not informed the rest of the global internet security companies about allowing them to upgrade their own security tools...many accused Kaspersky of unfair competition....

SOME of us have questioned who Kaspersky in the end answers to as they reside in Russia and their CEO is close personal friends to the FSB General...Kasperskly CEO fluffed off those worries stating his customer database is secure and protected and has no connections to the FSB.
BUT with events in Russia over the last two years and the tightening of Russian FSB control since Ukraine...that fluff off excuse can no longer hold water..

REMEMBER the ultra secret NSA internet company "The Equation Company" that worked for 15 or so years undetected on the internet was "discovered" by Kaspersky Labs...when even US companies had not discovered them.

NOW through this arrest for treason being charged against a FSB Major...actually being publicly made is first of all amazing and secondly the assumption is it is tied to the Russian hacking and Russian influence operations during the Trump campaign....hence the massive overreaction of the FSB....

It is interesting that via Russia news media it comes out that Kaspersky has a Major Crimes Lab run by a cyber expert who is a MAJ in the FSB when all along Kaspersky CEO has said they have no connections to the Russian FSB outside of his being friends with the FSB General...now we see FSB cyber personnel employed by Kaspersky...

Kaspersky confirmed arrest of its cyber-crime chief on charges for treason, He access to state secret due to co's collaboration with FSB.

Maj. Ruslan Stoyanov, Chief of Cyber Crime at Kaspersky, arrested along with FSB Cyber Security Deputy Chief Ser. MIhailov since December.
There is possible tie in back to the top former FSB General who was found also in DEC dead (killed was the first report but a week later changed to heart attack) in the backseat of his car in Moscow.

THIS story will keep getting deeper over the coming weeks as some are now tying this to the Russian hacking in the US...the Russian top hackers arrested in Prague and Spain and links now to certain Russian mafia types in the US who had ties to Trump.....

HERE is what is known as of today....

1. Sergey Mihailov was arguably the top internet authority at FSB, holding huge sway over the internet business in RU. It seems Mihailov

2. is charged with treason for "passing information to foreign information for money brokered by top cyber security company officer (=Stoyanov)

3. So the story is taking shape. Kaspersky's Stoyanov convinced (bribed) FSB top internet sec officer to share data on RU hacking. With whom?

4. Clearly "Steele" is one poss. answer. But it might be directly to CIA. Remember what Clapper said on FoxNews last week?

BTW....
Reference a Fox News story from 2013 that is interesting now to the five US national security agency investigating Russian hacking and Russian ties to Team Trump.....

The indicted gambling shark mentioned in this story - in hiding from US in Russia - was in the VIP section with @POTUS at Miss Universe 2013

RAN his illegal gambling network out of Trump Tower....

Two Defendants Sentenced For Participating In Racketeering Conspiracy With Russian-American Organized Crime Enterprise Operating International Sportsbook That Laundered Over $100 Million via the internet
APRIL 30 2014

SO living one floor directly below the Trump residence and Trump knew nothing?

A total of three Russian mob leaders either arrested by the FBI or having fled the US owned property in and resided in Trump Tower...

[OUTLAW 09]

Syrian schoolgirl @AlabedBana, 7, appeals to Trump to help children affected by the war
http://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/01/207107/syria-girl-blogger-7-appeals-trump#

Sorry he does not really care about Syrians...since he did not send a delegation to Astana peace talks....

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express....

Ship of Interest: Coming from Balchik, Togo flag bulk carrier Zara transited Bosphorus en route to #Tartus #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSKBN1580PW

Alleged msg of Ahrar al-Sham leader proclaim general mobilisation after JFS refused all calls to halt attack vs FSA
https://t.me/DrZaineddin/1492#

[OUTLAW 09]

ISIS trying 2 prevent #EuphratesShield from inching closer to Bzaah: 3 #TSK armours hit by #ATGM|s near Qabr Muqri & car bomb in Jebal Dair

[OUTLAW 09]

Idlib: #JFS has captured the #Idlib Central Prison.

Idlib: #JFS: "#Sukour fighters in #Idlib Central Prison will be allowed to leave, #JaF will run the prison. No one was killed."

[OUTLAW 09]

In direct violation of existing US law and who funded her trip???

U.S. Congress member met with Assad in Syria, discussed peace: CNN
http://reut.rs/2kvnRdM

AND now we have a Democratic Congresswomen who believes Assad is a peacenik and not a genocidal dictator...and we will have "peace in our time".....

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Naval Express....

Tsezar Kunikov sailing to her 1st Syrian deployment in 2017.

Russian Navy's Moma-class Intelligence gathering ship Liman northbound on the Bosphorus under heavy snowfall

[OUTLAW 09]

Trump wants SaveZone's inside & outside of #Syria
With fences & walls?

Valid question these days with this President...but wait he is just going through the motions of caring about Syrians especially after he forbids any entry into the US by Syrian refugees...

[OUTLAW 09]

In direct violation of existing US law and who funded her trip???

U.S. Congress member met with Assad in Syria, discussed peace: CNN
http://reut.rs/2kvnRdM

AND now we have a Democratic Congresswomen who believes Assad is a peacenik and not a genocidal dictator...and we will have "peace in our time".....

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's trip to Syria was sponsored by the 'Arab American Community Center for Economic and Social Services--Ohio'

They funded Dennis Kucinich's 2011 trip to Syria, where he met with Assad...He went via Lebanon....

[OUTLAW 09]

New #ISIS video features seemingly quite effective "killer drone" deployment vs. #US / #Iraq|i troops in #Mosul.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNsMSvjOouI&feature=youtu.be#…

Even if(!) #Turkey conquers #alBab from #ISIS; a look at the map shows, #Erdogan can only deliver on its promise to go to #Raqqa, if he ...engages in combat both with the #YPG / US-supported #SDF and #Assad forces.
A *very* unlikely scenario.

More scenes from east of #Damascus.
Civilians suffer under #Assad's war crimes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGEoMYFJrN0#…

Scenes after the #Assad regime ceasefire violations.
Dozens of airstrikes E of #Damascus today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmK0sCa-pUk#…

TYPICAL ASSAD/PUTIN AF DOUBLE TAP
Double tap #Assad regime airstrike on civilians & rescuers in #Arbin,east of #Damascus,shortly ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO2k2ogzipw&feature=youtu.be#…

More regime advances.
If I wouldn't know better - and I don't - I would say, #Turkey waits for #Assad forces to reach #alBab City.

[OUTLAW 09]

The #Assad air force bombed the #Damascus suburb #Harasta in ignorance of the ceasefire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqMLA3f7ZP0&feature=youtu.be#…

EuphratesShield forces captured Saflāniyat from #ISIS.
For the 3rd time in 4 weeks ...

Lieberman says Israel tells Russia settlement in Syria must include removal of Iranian and Hezbollah presence

[OUTLAW 09]

Kremlin TV makes no sense on Syria: no moderate opposition, only terrorists; it's civil war; armed opposition must be at talks; Assad legit. and democratic

[OUTLAW 09]

JFS militants attacking Maart al-Numan city from the northern side. Heavy clashes going in the hospital.

[OUTLAW 09]

Pro-#Assad forces and #EuphratesShield troops captured each one village near #alBab today in the race towards the #ISIS-held city.

[OUTLAW 09]

'Turkey’s PM says an agreement btw. Russia,Turkey&Iran on the ceasefire in Syria marks a "serious diplomatic success."'
Meanwhile in #Syria:

[OUTLAW 09]

JFS extremists fired at peaceful protesters in #Idlib province and killed at least one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5lohkRl-Nw#…

Extremely worrying reports say #ISIS wants to merge territories and ally with #JFS to fight #AhrarAlSham and the #FSA together.

ISIS once again captured #Khanaser from pro-#Assad (mainly #Hezbollah) forces, cutting #Aleppo from #Hama.

[OUTLAW 09]

WadiBarada: clashes and airstrikes resumed on Ain Al-Fijah front amidst reports of new pro-Regime reinforcements heading to the area.

5 Rebel groups joined Ahrar Al-Sham in biggest merger ever: Tajamu Fastaqem, Jaish Mujahideen, Jaish Islam (North), Suqur Sham & Sham Front.

ISIL forces take control on several areas in the north of Khanasr
It seems they're planning to Cut the #Assad supply road

ISIS launched (counter-)offensive on Khanasser area & seized several villages, cutting off the Regime supply road for #Aleppo.

Rebels monitoring the Ithriya-#Khanasser road which has been opened again after #ISIS raids.

Map showing quick gains #ISIS made N. of Khanasser vs pro-Regime forces (mainly #Iran|ian-led militias) 11 months after similar attack.

Seems #Iran|ian strategy to neglect #ISIS and to focus on Rebels is paying off. #Palmyra #DeirEzzor #Khanasser #Syria

Iran MoD Brig.gen Dehqan In Aug16justifies the priority of combatting the armed opposition than ISIS in Syria&Aleppo over Deir Ezzor(EngSub)

[OUTLAW 09]

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's trip to Syria was sponsored by the 'Arab American Community Center for Economic and Social Services--Ohio'

They funded Dennis Kucinich's 2011 trip to Syria, where he met with Assad...He went via Lebanon....

https://www.weeklystandard.com/gabbards-assad -trip-funded-by-anti-semitic-middle-east-organization/article/2006498#
Tulsi visit was funded by prominent member of SSNP which referrers to the armed opposition as "internal Jews"

This is the flag of the party that organised @TulsiGabbard & @Dennis_Kucinich's junket to Syria. Yes, it was inspired by the Nazis.

I wonder if @TulsiGabbard and her fascist financiers talked about killing "internal Jews" in Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

she has to be smoking something to honesty state this...Assad is still bombing and attacking FSA positions and IS is still running amok against one and all and Hezbollah is still taking a beating in their attacks...BUT all is well based on this Russian statement..."an altered state of reality" being shown here...


MFA Russia 🇷🇺
✔
@mfa_russia
#Zakharova: We’re pleased with results of the Jan. 23-24 meeting on #Syria in Astana, as the ceasefire zone was consolidated and expanded

[OUTLAW 09]

E. #Ghouta: Jaish Al-Islam trying to repel pro-Regime forces after their recent advance on Qasimiyah front.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4LkVvTQLvk#

EuphratesShield forces engaged in fierce clashes with #ISIS in Qabasin outskirts, NE of Al-Bab. IS claims a #TSK armour destroyed w/ #ATGM.

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #Assad regime attacking villages southwest of #Al_Bab with barrel bombs and rockets.

[OUTLAW 09]

Damascus: Rebels have killed #Assad regime Captain Ahmad Meshgal in #Wadi_Barada today.

DeirEzzor: Not many news about #DeirEzzor during the last days, but reports that #ISIS is planning a major attack.

DeirEzzor: 4 #Assad regime helicopters tried to bring reinforcements towards #DeirEzzor, but failed to land and returned to #Qamishli.

Raqqa: #ISIS has killed the American #YPG fighter Albert A. Harrington in #Raqqa Province.

[CrowBat]

AND she is still smoking her way back to homeport....

Russia says British military staging 'show' with Channel escort....:DThey're the right ones to complain about somebody staging shows...

Sigh... Russians... and then this war in Syria: meanwhile such a mind-boggling mess, can't say.

BTW, what Russians are not reporting is that every second night since something like 10 days, two of a bunch of their Tu-22s based at Mozdok AB are bombing Dayr az-Zawr.

Consequence: approx 30 civilian casualties per every airstrike...

[OUTLAW 09]

Dennis Kucinich Says He Wants Peace In Syria. The War Crimes Are Just s.


https://www.buzzfeed.com/hayesbrown/dennis-kucinich-says-he-wants-peace-in-syria-the-war-crimes?utm_term=.kv83WvRxx#.yddb18QDD


Former Congressman Dennis Kucinich doesn’t want to say whether or not Syria is a democracy. He’d prefer not to comment on just what Russia’s role in the bombing of Eastern Aleppo was. And he’d really just rather the world focus on peace in Syria, rather than what to do with President Bashar al-Assad.
That was the best that could be drawn from Kucinich in a half-hour phone interview with BuzzFeed News, given days after his return from what he repeatedly referred to as a “fact-finding mission” to Syria alongside Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. While there, both he and Gabbard met with Assad, who has refused to yield power as a precondition for the halt of the civil war that has ground on for more than five years.
Gabbard first revealed officially that she had not only been in Syria but sat down with Assad in an interview with CNN on Wednesday. She denied initial reports that said hers was a secret mission, saying that both the House Ethics Committee and leadership were notified.
(Gabbard’s office has declined to give further comments on her trip beyond her CNN interview and the press release it sent around shortly after.)
Kucinich backed that up, saying that the State Department was also informed as soon as they learned that it would be possible for them to cross from Lebanon into Syria. The trip was funded and arranged by ACCESS-Ohio, a local Arab-American support group that Kucinich has known and worked with as Cleveland’s congressman since shortly after their founding in 1993 until he left Congress in 2012. “If they had a political agenda, I wouldn’t go,” he said. “I’ve had a lifetime in politics, I don’t need more politics.”
During their meeting with Assad, Kucinich said, the pair didn’t raise the issue of the regime’s chemical weapons usage. “At this point, that had been raised in the past,” he said, pointing to an interview he’d conducted with Assad that aired on Fox News in 2013 where the Syrian president agreed he’d be willing to give up his chemical arsenal as evidence that the matter was dealt with. “What he talked about [in the recent meeting] was their efforts to end the war and return to some semblance of security.”
Assad has spent years insisting that his regime has been fighting terrorists all along and Kucinich’s view of the 2011 protest movement that launched the civil war tracks closely with the Syrian leader’s. Kucinich acknowledged at least that there was a homegrown pro-democracy protest movement at the start of the conflict. “Was there a legitimate protest? Yes. Did some people in Syria take up arms? Yes. But they were soon overwhelmed by outside interests.”
And on the matter of alleged war crimes the Syrian government has committed, Kucinich demurred. “I don’t think anybody I know who I’ve talked to is ready to be an apologist for the ravages of war,” he said. “It’s horrific. And after this is over, there’ll be plenty of time to determine what happened and if it exceeded the limits of what’s acceptable under international law.” (He seemed unaware of the UN Commission of Inquiry that has been tracking the matter since 2011 and has said that both sides have committed war crimes.)
“My personal view is that war itself is crime,” Kucinich said. “And you want to end the war, you don’t want a war to start. I’ve seen the effects of war and you don’t want a war to start. And who knows what a country will do to defend itself?”
Evidence of that was on display in the first place that the two visited while in Syria: Aleppo, a city whose eastern half is still recovering from a lengthy siege put into place by the Syrian government and a fierce battle between the government and rebels that ended with the aid of Russian warplanes. Activists and doctors alike said that campaign bombed indiscriminately, taking out hospitals and at times targeting civilians.
Russia never came up during the time he and Gabbard spent among refugees in the city, he says, but he did say that he spotted “a couple, two or three people” sent from Russia to dismantle unexploded ordinance. Asked whether they were there to specifically clean up the Russian bombs that were dropped on the ravaged city, the former congressman merely said that there were there “to help in taking bombs, anything that was unexploded weapon. I guess there’s probably a lot of it.”
And on whether Syria — where Assad claims legitimacy through a 2014 election his government says he won 88.7% of the vote — is a democracy right now? “I think it’s very difficult to be able to have a functioning democracy when your country is under siege,” he said.
All of that is just details, it seems, in the pursuit of ending the war and bringing peace to Syria — no matter what that peace looks like.
“I have spent a career challenging wars,” he said, “I lead the effort against the war in Iraq, and the war in Libya, I saw what would happen, I cautioned against US involvement in Syria. At some point as human beings we have to find a way to stop killing each other and find a way to move forward without trying to wipe each other out.”

Deal with Assad war crimes later......?????

Assad regime continue the siege of more than 80,000 civilians in #WadiBarada since 37 days & prevented the introduction of food and medicine

[OUTLAW 09]

Geolocated Russian Air Force strike NE of Deir ez-Zor, Syria, before and after:
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.371275&lon=40.219413&z=17&m=bs#

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxS2BSJUZ-4&feature=youtu.be&t=23s#

[OUTLAW 09]

Homs: #ISIS has killed the #Assad Brigadier General Ali Yousef Sultan in Eastern #Homs.

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebel mergers (cc 11 groups) this week have seen emergence of 2 major factions: Ahrar Al-Sham & Tahrir Al-Sham. Infographics

N. #Syria: Tahrir Al-Sham Corps is born. Zinki, #JFS, Jaish Al-Sunna, Ansar Al-Din & Liwa Al-Haq merged under unified leadership (Abu Jaber)

N. #Syria: Rebel "reconfiguration" due to current infighting goes on as part of Harakat Nour Al-Din Zinki split and joined Faylaq Al-Sham.

[OUTLAW 09]

E. #Aleppo: Russian-supplied MRLS w/ thermobaric ordnance TOS-1 used by pro-Regime forces vs #ISIS, via @NatDefFor.

[OUTLAW 09]

DeirEzzor: Complete media blackout about the situation in #DeirEzzor Airport.

DeirEzzor: #ISIS started assault on Regime-held Airbase taking advantage of dusty weather.

Agreement is reached after 39 days of Regime campaign in #WadiBarada: Rebels withdraw from Ain Fijah allowing Regime to control its spring.

Blind airstrikes depriving the 2 main #Syria|n cities (#Aleppo & #Damascus) of drinking water this winter.

Aleppo: #ISIS has killed Jabhat al-Shamiyah commander Colonel Ahmad Zeidan with IED near #Al_Bab today.

New Al Qaeda formation is called #Tahrir al-Sham. Someone is seeing an irony here

[OUTLAW 09]

Rebel mergers (cc 11 groups) this week have seen emergence of 2 major factions: Ahrar Al-Sham & Tahrir Al-Sham. Infographics

N. #Syria: Tahrir Al-Sham Corps is born. Zinki, #JFS, Jaish Al-Sunna, Ansar Al-Din & Liwa Al-Haq merged under unified leadership (Abu Jaber)

N. #Syria: Rebel "reconfiguration" due to current infighting goes on as part of Harakat Nour Al-Din Zinki split and joined Faylaq Al-Sham.

Tahrir Al-Sham is much stronger than #JFS ever was. #US airstrikes aimed to stop the merger. It didn't work.

1 leader, no foreign orders, I hope that Tahrir Al-Sham will advance deep into #Assad regime areas.

[OUTLAW 09]

DeirEzzor: No news from #DeirEzzor since nearly 24 hours.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria: Tahrir Al-Sham is growing very, very fast.

A number of groups are now merging into it almost hourly....

[OUTLAW 09]

Hama: #Russia|n warplanes bombed a refugee camp in Northern #Hama and killed 8 civilians today.

Syria #Aleppo #Assad-forces try to enter #IS held Touman 8km SW of #alBab
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.295066&lon=37.479343&z=14&m=b#

Men, women, children.
#Assad and his backers #Russia & #Iran cleanse #Syria.
2000 people today.
The "international community" sits idly by.

On this day in #Aleppo 29 Jan 2013
Their hands were tied behind their backs, shot in the head & dumped in the river by Assad gangs. #Syria

[CrowBat]

For further updates on who merged into the TASH (Tahrir ash-Sham, the new coalition run by the ex-Nusra/ex-JFS) and who into the AAS - see attachment below.

In essence, lots of small groups are going to Wahhabists, bigger groups to Salafists...

[OUTLAW 09]

'Congresswomen Gabbard says ACCESS Ohio paid for her [Syria] trip. The problem is, ACCESS Ohio hasn’t existed for several years.'

How Tulsi Gabbard became Assad’s mouthpiece in Washington
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/how-tulsi-gabbard-became-assads-mouthpiece-in-washington/2017/01/29/215e9c70-e4bf-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html?utm_term=.cfe36b81e90c

[CrowBat]

Well, if she works a little bit harder, she can help Assad get Trump's next best friend...

...all provided rumours about Assad being hospitalized after having a stroke are incorrect.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria regime forces looting houses and shops in Wadi Barada after rebels evacuated it with their families

[OUTLAW 09]

10 civilians injured in several #Russian air force raids on #Idlib province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnnFUQvli0Q&t=0s#…

PHOTO: IAG Guardian armored vehicles given to the #SDF by US -

[OUTLAW 09]

Lots of local Ahrar al-Sham statements today from Idlib, Qalamoun, Deraa etc. renewing the pledge of allegiance to leader Abu Ammar.

NW #Daraa: Southern Front destroyed with a #Fagot a car loaded with ammo belonging to #ISIS affiliate on Ain Dhakar front.

Damascus: Remains of #Assad chlorine gas bombs dropped on Eastern #Ghouta.

[OUTLAW 09]

Latakia : 84 soldiers and officers from #Qardaha were killed in January leaving no young men in the loyalist town. https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/22782.html

Rebels fired 21 #ATGM|s in January 2017 (+38%). Focus shifted to S. #Syria (half).
1. #TOW (stable proportion: 73%)
2. #Fagot

E. #Ghouta coming under intense pressure with daily pro-Regime attacks on multiple fronts. Expected to increase after #WadiBarada fall.

[OUTLAW 09]

E. #Damascus: Faylaq Al-Rahman thwarted attempts by pro-Regime forces to advance on #Jobar and Ain Terma fronts.

NE #Aleppo: pro-Regime forces in full offensive vs #ISIS with huge #Russia|n support.

E. #Ghouta: Jaish Islam's T-72 with slat armour storming a Regime position on Qasimiyah front using its 7.62 mm gun http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=33.508194&lon=36.520100&z=13&m#…

Heavy clashes at Yarmouk pocket frontline btw #IS offshoot & #FSA south western #Syria
http://jihadintel.meforum.org/group/225/liwa-shuhada-al-yarmouk#…

W. #Aleppo: Regime shelled Daret Izza with several missiles believed to be Tockhas & fired from #Safira Defense Factories.

E. #Homs: after weeks of stalemate pro-Regime forces backed by huge firepower now slowly but surely advancing vs #ISIS towards #Palmyra.

[OUTLAW 09]

There can be no underestimating just how powerfully #Trump’s #MuslimBan empowers & justifies the extremist narratives of Al-Qaeda & #ISIS.

Northern #Syria’s “great sorting out” continues…

x12 armed groups/units have joined #JFS-turned Tahrir al-Sham so far - incl. 3 from Ahrar:
Reports are also emerging that Ahrar al-Sham sub-unit Liwa al-Tamkin may be in the midst of defecting to "Tahrir al-Sham."

Newly formed "Tahrir al-Sham" (predictably) includes former Ahrar al-Sham figures Abu Saleh Tahhan & Abu Mohammed al-Sadeq

Reports that #JFS/Tahrir al-Sham are continuing their attacks on Suqor al-Sham/Ahrar al-Sham despite “ceasefire."

After recent developments, northern #Syria now contains 4 major armed movements:

-Tahrir al-Sham
-Ahrar al-Sham
-Faylaq al-Sham
-FSA

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/turkey-faces-two-uneasy-choices-syria-neither-them-good-1983506046

Turkey Faces Two Uneasy Choices And Neither Is Good....



Russia’s plans a draft constitution for Syria. Washington talks of safe zones in the country. Good news for Syrian Kurds. Bad news for Ankara

Turks woke up to hear a pleasant and quite unexpected surprise on their morning news last Thursday.
But then, just a few hours later, it was followed by equally unexpected, but to most Turks, unwelcome news.

Taken together, the two developments suggest that any firm agreement between Turkey and the other outside players in the war in Syria may still be far off.

It leaves the Ankara-Moscow partnership vulnerable to upset, while Turkey’s military operations in Syria could be checked, at least temporarily.

Washington and Moscow at odds

The good news, at least initially to Turkish government ears, came from US President Donald Trump, who announced that he intended to help set up safe zones in Syria to act as bases for refugees. Turkey has been pressing for safe zones in northern Syria - originally to be combined with no-fly zones - for nearly four years now.

With a ceasefire now declared in Syria and operations against the regime of Bashar al-Assad currently halted, the zones would presumably no longer be used for military purposes.

Before floating the idea, Trump evidently had not taken soundings from Moscow

Nevertheless, they faced the tacit but unwavering opposition of both the Obama administration in the United States for several years, contributing to the bitter rift which steadily opened up between Washington and Ankara from 2013 onwards, mainly because the US refused to assist a Turkish military operation in Syria.

Trump’s remarks suggested that he sees the zones in terms of relieving pressure from refugees, rather than as having crucial significance for the strategic balance in Syria.

Before floating the idea, Trump has evidently had not taken soundings from Moscow. Within an hour or two, President Vladimir Putin’s press spokesperson, Dimtry Peskov, warned pointedly: “It is important that this does not exacerbate the situation with refugees, but probably all the consequences ought to be weighed up."

As the day wore on, that message began to sink in. Turks felt uncertain, perhaps even uneasy, about what Trump was actually proposing.

What missing: enclaves

The crucial detail which was missing from his remarks was his attitude to the Syrian Kurds who belonged to the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which rules the Syrian Kurdish enclaves but is an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the militant movement which is fighting an all-out terrorist campaign against the Turkish government.

Ankara views the PYD enclaves as dangerous and unacceptable and would like to see them ended - though how this could be achieved is unclear.
Ankara views the PYD enclaves as dangerous and unacceptable and would like to see them ended

It also wants Syrian Kurdish military advances against IS stopped because this is bringing close the spectre (for Ankara) of a militarily strong independent Kurdish area in Syria. That brought it into confrontation with Obama. Will it do the same with Trump?

Trump’s decision to retain Brett McGurk as "special envoy" (ie de facto organiser) of the US-led coalition against Islamic State (IS) has already disappointed Ankara.

McGurk is regarded as the architect of a military pact between the US and the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), the YPD militia, through which the Syrian Kurds have access to a supply of weaponry which might be used in potential stand-offs with Turkish or Syrian opposition forces.

Alarm bells in Ankara

And then, later on Thursday morning, Turkish TV news reported the bad news.

Till the end of last week almost nothing was revealed about the content of the talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups at Astana in Kazakhstan, though a mood of disappointment seemed to be setting in among the various groups in the Free Syrian Army opponents of the regime.

This is awkward for Turkey, which is seeking to combine them into a single unified political entity, which will be able to act for the opposition in any long-term deal for the future of Syria.

However if Russian press sources are to be believed, a draft constitution was presented to participants at Astana by the Russian delegation. The details that have been revealed are deeply unpalatable both for the regime’s Sunni Arab opponents and for Turkey.

The really contentious point in the draft was the proposal that there could be autonomous Kurdish regions

Under the draft, a non-Arab, non-Islamic state would be created. It would be based on cultural and religious diversity, with the non-Sunni group (30 percent of the total based on the country’s pre-war population) holding an entrenched position.

No map has yet been published but obviously Assad would retain the prosperous coastal provinces while the Sunni area would probably be in the north near Turkey.

“The cultural diversity of#the Syrian society will be ensured,” the draft stated. The plan would stop just short of outright federalism, something which almost everybody in Turkey is nervous about on principle, regarding it as the prelude to a permanent breakaway by the Syrian Kurdish enclaves known as Rojava along the south of the Turkish border.

The really contentious point in the draft, and the one which immediately set alarm bells ringing in Turkey, was the proposal that there could be autonomous Kurdish regions and that in these there would be equality for both the Kurdish and Arabic languages.

Who benefits - and who loses out?

The PYD were excluded from the Astana meeting at Turkey’s request, but a rival group, the Kurdish National Council (ENKS), an offshoot of the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government, was present.

Contrary to what Ankara hoped, indeed probably expected, Moscow’s sights now seem to be focused on involving the PYD in the settlement.
A PYD delegation was invited to Moscow on 26 January to be briefed on the outcome of the Astana meeting and the new constitution by Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister. However last Friday, a Russian spokesperson backtracked, denying Russia supported autonomy for the Kurds.

The immediate implication of this is that, regardless of whatever Trump decides on, Russia is not going to acquiesce in a future attempt by Turkey to subdue “Rojava”, as the Syrian Kurdish enclaves style themselves.

What’s more, if there is to be a settlement in Syria along the lines envisaged at Astana, then the Free Syria Army groups will have to co-exist alongside their Kurdish neighbours.

Turkey has been engaged in an all-out bid to crush its own Kurdish militants since July 2015. The idea of permanent autonomous Kurdish enclaves on its southern border, which are friendly to the PKK, is a nightmare.

The situation might be different if Turkish forces in Syria, which have been besieging the IS-held town of al-Bab since early December, had the upper hand. Then the Turkish army could move on towards Kurdish-held Afrin and Manbij, which are closer to the southern border.

Russia is not going to acquiesce in a future attempt by Turkey to subdue “Rojava”, as the Syrian Kurdish enclaves style themselves
But so far, IS has proved tenacious, though there are reports that it might withdraw from al-Bab. Ankara, which has lost around 50 soldiers in the siege, is unwilling to risk more casualties in an all-out assault on a town which lost most of its strategic importance when east Aleppo fell in December.

Turkey may now face two uneasy choices: remaining bogged down in Syria; or striking a deal with Russia, which would give it far less than it hoped for and leaves it still facing both IS and the PYD.

[OUTLAW 09]

Pakistan shuts down a "humanitarian organization" fronting for #Iran's Shia jihad in #Syria
http://bit.ly/2kkI85e# ft.

[OUTLAW 09]

Ryan Lock, 20,a British foreign fighter with the PYD/YPG killed himself rather than fall into IS's hands.
http://bbc.in/2kodc3B

[OUTLAW 09]

10 civilians injured in several #Russian air force raids on #Idlib province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnnFUQvli0Q&t=0s#…

PHOTO: IAG Guardian armored vehicles given to the #SDF by US -

As soon as this hit the media ....

Statement by YPG spox Rêdûr Xelîl. armored cars & weapons were NOT supplied to us by Int. Coalition:

THEN must have been from the Russians?????????

[OUTLAW 09]

Renewed Russian/Assad airstrikes with incendiary munitions targeted Khan Sheikhoun in south rural #Idlib this morning

Regime_aircraft carry out airstrikes against the Talbeesa town in northern #Homs_countryside

Idlib Reports claim the airstrike was targeting a Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham vehicle/position near/at the Red Cresent center (Carlton building)

S. #Idlib: massive explosion caused by a #RuAF airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun yesterday. Today the city is bombed again.

[OUTLAW 09]

Video of the chlorine gas IRAMs launched by the regime at the Marj area in eastern Ghouta 2 days ago
https://youtu.be/99-I75jlkZQ
#

[OUTLAW 09]

Germany refuses Turkish demand for access to imagery from campaign against ISIL
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/germany-refuses-turkish-demand-for-access-to-imagery-from-campaign-against-isil-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=109220&NewsCatID=351#…

After Turkey compromised Israeli agents in Iran, this is a good move to protect German intelligence data from Turkey's pro-Hamas gov't

New Pentagon chief James Mattis agreed in a telephone call with his Saudi counterpart to oppose Iranian "interventions" in Middle East

Wonder if he means the current Iranian involvement in Syria....????

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #ISIS has captured Rasm as-Sirhan village after pro-#Assad forces were hit by SVBIED.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.271681&lon=37.595301&z=14&m=b#

Leader of heroic Syrian rescue team, honored in film, can't attend Oscars because of Trump's ban on 7 Muslim nations
http://bit.ly/2jW8MjU

[OUTLAW 09]

RNLAF tanker T-235 WNDML7 in #Iraq....took off from Iran

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria: #Assad regime controls only the Abu Rabah & Al Faid gas fields in Eastern #Homs and the Mahash oil field in #DeirEzzor.

[OUTLAW 09]

"Moscow is negotiating with Cairo to lease military facilities, including the former Soviet base in Sidi-Barrani." Airbase:

In Oct, Russia-Egypt held exercise with airborne troops
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S1wmft7Tio4&feature=youtu.be#

Thread on potential Russian airlift of Egyptian troops to Syria:
https://twitter.com/rolltidebmz/status/826869665393758212#

[OUTLAW 09]

*Video* Intel Briefing - Interdicting ISIS: Employment of Air-Launched Weapons in Syria and Iraq
http://bit.ly/2k47CTz

Facing criticism, Gabbard to personally pay for Syria trip
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/01/politics/tulsi-gabbard-syria/index.html#

[OUTLAW 09]

More daily #Assad regime #WarCrimes in #Syria.
Heavy air strikes on civilians in and around #Rastan city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nW8kk3sdk0#

The #Assad regime performed several air strikes on civilians in #Qaboun near Damascus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EIZTbHbQ_U&feature=youtu.be#…

Qaboun near #Damascus.
Just one of more than 10 cities, #Assad attacked with his air force today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cex4dr7Mhqw&feature=youtu.be#…

Aftermath of an #Assad regime air strike on #Rastan in Homs province today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRWIzKeYVBg#…

Turkish-led #EuphratesShield forces captured 7 villages west and east of #alBab from #ISIS over the past 48 hours.

[OUTLAW 09]

During the last days, I laughed when hearing people say, the US could actually turn into a sort of #Trumpistan.
Maybe, I was wrong ...

[OUTLAW 09]

Liwa al-Moutasem fighting IS east of al-Bab, N. Aleppo. Otokar ZPT, technicals & M249 SAW action
https://youtu.be/57aa-zvoqP0

Damascus: Heavy #Assad airstrikes on Eastern #Ghouta have killed 2 civilians and wounded 15 more today.

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad regime air strikes on three towns in #Syria's #Hama province.
Performed by a helicopter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ijmNGDOthc#

Syria opposition, #Turkey reject discussing new constitution: Ankara @AFP

Daraa: #ISIS affiliate group Khalid bin al-Walid has captured weapons from #FSA and beheaded 6 captured #FSA fighters in #Yarmouk basin.

[OUTLAW 09]

Shaping operations - Pics from destroyed Raqqa Bridges
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2017/3-february-pics-from-destroyed-raqqa-bridges--#…

.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express.....

Russian Navy's Ropucha Class LLC Tsezar Kunikov 158 northbound on the Bosphorus, returning from Syria deployment

[OUTLAW 09]

UN's refugee agency head: Trump's plans to set up Syria 'safe zones' are a 'waste of time'
http://read.bi/2jGOOes

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #FSA/#EuphratesShield retreated from Bzaah town to eastern outskirts

[CrowBat]

There are some 'lil bit strange' kind of reports surfacing from Damascus since a few days.

As first, about a week ago, there were reports that Assad suffered some kind of a stroke, and spent two days in some private hospital in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, there are reports of this kind: Pro-Opposition Syrian Journalist In Tweets And Posts: Russian Forces Thwarted Maher Al-Assad's Iran-Backed Coup Attempt (https://www.memri.org/reports/pro-opposition-syrian-journalist-tweets-and-posts-russian-forces-thwarted-maher-al-assads)

According to recent unconfirmed reports, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad is gravely ill,[1] and a recent Iranian-backed coup attempt by his brother, Maher Al-Assad, has been thwarted by Russian forces.

One source of these reports is the social media accounts of Syrian journalist Feras Karam, who writes for the Syrian oppositionist website Orient News.

Karam even reported that Alawite officials and officers have split into two camps – those supporting Iran and those supporting Russia – and members of each camp have been assassinated by members of the other. He reported further that there have been mutual assassinations between the two camps. Furthermore, according to Karam, there has also been wide-scale deployment of Russian forces in Damascus to stop Iranian incursions into several neighborhoods in the city.
...

[CrowBat]

...and of this kind: Pro-Assad militia orders removal of Putin posters (http://www.levantwatch.com/2017/02/04/pro-assad-militia-orders-removal-of-putin-posters/)

An influential pro-regime militia active in the Aleppo province has allegedly ordered its members to remove all posters of Russia’s president currently hanging in its offices, according to an activist outlet.

Syria Reporter published a article#January 29 claiming that Liwa al-Quds, a Palestinian militia involved in heavy fighting in Aleppo, ordered all its members to also remove Russian flags, not only in its offices but also on vehicles belonging to the group.

The pro-rebel outlet cited an unnamed source as saying that Liwa al-Quds commander Mohammed Said ordered the measure after Russian officers failed to live up to their promise that he would be appointed to the command staff of the Fifth Corps, a newly formed unit of the Syrian armed forces seeking to bring together a number of militias under one central leadership.

The source alleged that the Russians also ordered Liwa al-Quds to turn over all its medium weapons that it was previously supplied, adding that members of the Palestinian militia previously argued with Russian officers in Aleppo over looting in the city, which Liwa al-Quds took part in.
...

...with other words: there is certainly something going on - and this recent establishment of that 'V Corps' must be seen through the 'light' of all these developments, too.

Mind: differences between Russians and Iranians are nothing new - at least not to me. I've reported (https://warisboring.com/russia-syria-and-iran-have-made-a-mess-of-their-military-alliance-af5e0db30164#.85hrp0bsb) about these more than half a year ago; others did so more recently (http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en/article/21129).

The only thing that's surprising me is actually that the Russians seem to be defending Bashar from Iranians, instead of staging a coup against him (with intention of distancing whatever is left of his regime from the IRGC).

EDIT: all of which is imposing a number of additional questions.... one of these being: If Russians have thwarted an IRGC-led coup attempt against Bashar in Damascus... how likely is it they might use pro-Russian cliques within the IRGC (http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13951113001865) to stage something like 'anti-other-IRGC-cliques coup' in Tehran...?

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Naval Syrian Express....

Project 304M, Amur II class repair ship PM56 returns from the Mediterranean deployment after 155days & transits Bosphorus towards Black Sea

[OUTLAW 09]

Reports: #FSA #EuphratesShield in control of #Bzaah town east of #alBab

Sporadic clashes in E. outskirts of #Bzaah after yesterday's #EuphratesShield withdrawal. City bombed by #TSK artillery.

Wadi Barada: After looting people's homes in Ein al-Fijeh, Hezbollah & regime said to be blowing up residential bldgs around water facility

Assad AF still bombing critical infrastructure....
Idlib: an airstrike destroyed an oven with flour reserves. Vital facilities deliberately targeted.

E. #Idlib: at least 12 killed in new airstrike by US-led Coalition, reportedly targeting #HTS meeting near Sarmin.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.909630&lon=36.724205&z=13&m#…

Shiite militias celebrating 1st anniversay of breaking siege in Nubol & Zahraa towns in North #Aleppo.

[OUTLAW 09]

FSA News
‏@FSAPlatform
Breaking || #Syria

"I'm going to speak in Syrian accent ok?" Lebanese Hezbollah posing as Syrian Army

https://youtu.be/PwNgbq3sKWM# - EN subtls

[OUTLAW 09]

Hope.......Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #Assad-forces took Aran 7km south of #alBab
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.295343&lon=37.543373&z=13&m=b#

Ahrar al-Sham has elected a new deputy leader, @JaberAliBasha - the former leader of Ahrar’s Islamic Commission in #Idlib.

IMPORTANT
Important - The 1st criminal case against #Assad regime officials (based on #Caesar files) has begun in #Spain:
http://wpo.st/dPzY2

Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, the mostly-Uzbek group tied into al-Qaeda's network in #Syria, has joined Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (new-not-AQ).

[OUTLAW 09]

MORE reports of Hezbollah chlorine IRAMs being used in Syria....

Round two? More photos of claimed chlorine IRAMs based on Iranian 107mm rockets. Same 2016 production date but different lot. 524 v 526

[OUTLAW 09]

Tu-22M3 bombers overfly Iran, Iraq to strike IS targets near Al-Mayadin, Deir ez-Zur again.
http://bit.ly/2l8qRc7
#
.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Lots of #Russia'n bombs with parachute dropped on Al-Taman'ah in southern #Idlib Type?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7Xo1G6JWvo#

A war plane dropped multiple bombs on the Syrian town of #KafrZita, Hama province, shortly ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfZpAeUKODM#

In East Qalamoun, "#Russian" jets attacked rebels, fighting #ISIS and the #Assad regime in the area.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=079yoNiDNH0#

Aso al-Ghantu in #Homs province is under attack by the #Assad air force.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZCDc3X2mPg#

[OUTLAW 09]

In Al-Tamanah, #Hama prov., #Russia attacked civilian homes with a new sort of cluster ammunition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smWXn3R3lVc#

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Naval Express....


ВМФ Moma class AGI intelligence vessel Kildin (x-SSV512), re-deployed to Mediterranean after 89 days, transits southbound Bosphorus.

Project 861M #ВМФ #ЧФ BSF Moma-class AGI intelligence ship Kildin has small structures aft for ELINT gear.

[OUTLAW 09]

More footage of the latest cluster ammunition, #Russia drops on innocent civilians in northern #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MkY7zBV6Dk#

9 #Assad regime air strikes targeted the hospital of #KafrZita.
The pharmaceutical storage was destroyed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSXdM0jbEjU#

Sources claim more IAG Guardian military vehicles have arrived to Rojava, supplied by the Coalition forces. This time in #Qamishlo.

[OUTLAW 09]

Clashes between #ISIS & Syrian Army near Sayqal Military Airbase also called Al-Seen airbase, east of #Damascus

Syria #IS in #alBab area of eastern #Aleppo now under siege after #Assad forces advanced south east of the town

Proxy Wars: U.S. Special Forces present at SDF announcement of beginning of next phase in their offensive to liberate Raqqa, Syria from ISIS

[OUTLAW 09]

New attempt today by #FSA to storm (& hold?) Bzaah east of #alBab
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flq0cTnM-fk#

Aleppo: #ISIS SVBIED has killed several #FSA fighters and destroyed vehicles east of #Bzaah. Reports that #ISIS reinforcements arrived.

Damascus: Rebels have killed 20+ pro-#Assad forces during a failed regime attack in Eastern #Ghouta today.

Homs: #ISIS has killed the #Iran|ian #IRGC soldier Jawed Sanjevali in Eastern #Homs.

[OUTLAW 09]

Reference the Sochi crashed Russian military TU-154....heading to Aleppo....

Russian plane with Red Army singers downed by bomb, independent expert
http://zik.ua/en/news/2017/02/05/russian_plane_with_red_army_singers_downed_by_bomb _independent_expert_1037983#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Damascus: Fuel shortages across all #Assad regime areas.

Pro-gov network: diesel prices reaching 550 pounds per liter across all governorates amid shortages
https://twitter.com/hamanews1/status/828281033313378304#

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad regime & Hezbollah lost 200 fighters during #Wadi_Barada offensive. Eastern Ghouta will be very bloody for the regime.

Women & children running away from Assad airstrikes in Houla, #Homs today, add to continues Assad artillery shelling
https://youtu.be/Y2Cx5kVOVUs

[OUTLAW 09]

Latakia: 5 #Russia|n soldiers were killed and others wounded by the explosion. Bodies of the soldiers were taken to #Hmeimim Airbase

Hama: #Assad airstrikes have destroyed a medical dispensary in #Kafr_Zita in Northern #Hama today.

[OUTLAW 09]

Hama: Photos show that #ISIS is close to the main regime supply route towards #Aleppo southwest of #Ithriya.

Clashes reported between IS and regime at Deir Ezzor cemetery as IS reportedly advances toward the city's bus garage

Afghans of #IRGC's Fatemiun brigade today 5 Feb in Khanaaser, Syria, memorial meeting for 13 fighters recently killed(Names on the wall)

Shammar tribal militia clearly part of Raqqa operations

[OUTLAW 09]

Girkin / #Strelkov claims all PMC Wagner fallen bodies in #Syria are cremated in a mobile crematory.
https://twitter.com/dobrijdiadia/sta...5327719497728#

Despite how cynic it sounds (even for #Girkin) this is old & well used #Russian tactics to claim of no casualties.

In 2014 when # of Cargo-200 skyrocketed #Russia employed same tactics + body dumping into abandoned mine shafts.

NOTE:....Girkin should know as he led his merry band of 14 former and active duty spetsnaz out of Crimea into eastern Ukraine to start the so called "separatist" myth....

BTW....mobile crematories were reported in eastern Ukraine during the heavy fighting days of 2014/2015 and even photographed and geo located...and the MSM did not want to believe them....

[OUTLAW 09]

IS ATGM hit on tank in the abandoned btln, N of #Tiyas and significantly W of where loyalists are pushing. 3d strike in 2 days(2 transports)

[OUTLAW 09]

E. #Homs: #Hazaras from #Iran|ian #Fatemiyoun Brigade taking heavy death toll in fight vs #ISIS

N. #Syria: Tochka tactical missile targeted S. #Idlib countryside (Tarmala) and heavy airstrikes on N. #Hama (Kafr Zita). Ceasefire at work.

[OUTLAW 09]

SAA efforts to encircle Bab create a series of second order escalation problems for the Turkish backed effort to create a de-facto safe zone

And underscores why its so dangerous — and wrong — to simply declare a “safe zone” without having a plan to defend it.

[OUTLAW 09]

Homs: #ISIS captured also 1 #Assad regime BMP and 6 ATGMs.

[OUTLAW 09]

Of course, @SputnikInt won't tell you, the "Belgian delegation" that visited #Assad are all right-wing extremists.
https://sputniknews.com/world/201702061050400294-eu-syria-terrorists-assad/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

RuSOF in Aleppo, December 2016 (saw it before here but in a smaller size)

[OUTLAW 09]

Also today, numerous towns, covered by the #Syria "ceasefire" are being attacked by #Assad's air force.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx-CYzEN_UU …

Jordanian air force AT-802U over #ISIS-held #Suwayda province in #Syria now.
Intelligence gathering Operation.

Just after receiving the Guardian APCs from the #US/@CJTFOIR, "SDF" handed them on to the #YPG.
And before you scream: Turkey is OK with it.

#JFS/#HTS also came under criticism for using raffled fridges, motorbikes etc., to lure the poor out from IDP camps to a Moheiseni speech:

Ahrar al-Sham is publicly & privately accusing #JFS/#HTS of faking unity pledges - using fake names to deceive:

Syria’s armed opposition met w. #Turkey today & agreed *not* to attend follow-up meeting in #Astana in coming days.
REASON
Ceasefire not secure.

For the 5th or 6th time, @DeptofDefense/@OIRSpox report a strike against #ISIS in #Idlib, where ISIS doesn’t exist.
[Hint: It’s Al-Qaeda]

Kyle W. Orton ‏@KyleWOrton
My write-up on formation of #HTS for @HJS_Org: "Al-Qaeda Reshapes the Insurgency in Northern Syria"
https://goo.gl/Cy2OU6

[OUTLAW 09]

PMC Wagner as of January 2017 recruits fighters for combat missions in Afghanistan. Perfect timing.
https://twitter.com/CITeam_ru/status/828646173703536640

[OUTLAW 09]

U.S. Preps for Infowar on Russia
http://thebea.st/2kcdTdu

[OUTLAW 09]

E. #Ghouta: intense clashes & shelling on several axes as pro-Assad w/ Iraqis & Hezbollah, trying to advance. Repelled on Hawsh Nasri front.

Over 20 killed and a T-72 destroyed by Rebels in another failed attempt by pro-Assad to advance on Hawsh Nasri front.

E. #Ghouta: Jaish Al-Islam killed Colonel Shakif Hamoud, one of the Regime commanders leading assault on Hawsh Nasri front.

FSA Sultan Murad engaged in street battles with #ISIS (likely yesterday). One ACV-15 & an armoured bulldozer also used in assault on #Bzaah

FSA confirmation: #EuphratesShield forces took control of #Bzaah from #ISIS.

EuphratesShield forces asserted control over parts of #Bzaah. Pic geolocated at roundabout on main road #Manbij-Al-Bab.

[OUTLAW 09]

FSA Northern Hawks found & plugged a sewer/water evacuation used by #ISIS to move fighters/weapons on #Bzaah front.

ISIS denied the takeover of #Bzaah by #EuphratesShield forces, saying assault is repelled.

FSA confirmation: #EuphratesShield forces took control of #Bzaah from #ISIS.

[OUTLAW 09]

SE. #Hama: Rebels downed this reconnaissance quadcopter in Aydoun village, SW of #Salamiyah.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=34.956870&lon=36.974487&z=12&m=b …

[Azor]

As first, about a week ago, there were reports that Assad suffered some kind of a stroke, and spent two days in some private hospital in Lebanon...with other words: there is certainly something going on - and this recent establishment of that 'V Corps' must be seen through the 'light' of all these developments, too...

The only thing that's surprising me is actually that the Russians seem to be defending Bashar from Iranians, instead of staging a coup against him (with intention of distancing whatever is left of his regime from the IRGC).

That is interesting news.

I’ll preface with my thought from November that Trump may be of more benefit to the Free Syrian Army then Clinton would have been. In all probability, Clinton would have incrementally increased the support for the FSA, but would have been mindful of accusations that the United States was perpetrating yet another overthrow and that it was training and equipping Muslim supremacists. The threat of increased US intervention held the Moscow-Teheran-Damascus axis together, but without that threat, its differences are laid bare. In addition, Ankara, Amman, Riyadh and Doha would have been under far more scrutiny and restrictions in terms of arming the FSA under a Clinton presidency. He who pays the piper calls the tune, after all..

It’s said that Maher is a loose cannon and a war criminal who has no aversion to setting the Shabiha loose on civilians or gassing them, so if Maher was leading the NDF, the war would enter an even more vicious phase.

Despite his figurehead status and all of the atrocities committed in his name, I would imagine that Assad is far more “moderate” than his brother. The question is: if not Assad, then who? Who among the Alawi leadership could make peace with the Sunni Arabs and the Kurds, expel the IRGC and protect the Alawis and other minorities from being overrun by Daesh or Nusra?


…all of which is imposing a number of additional questions...one of these being: If Russians have thwarted an IRGC-led coup attempt against Bashar in Damascus... how likely is it they might…to stage something like 'anti-other-IRGC-cliques coup' in Tehran...?

It seems like a bit of a stretch to me. You have yourself written extensively on failed Russian arms sales to Iran, and the disputes over the nuclear reactor and S-400 projects are well-known. Russia probably had more influence in Iran by way of Tudeh prior to the Revolution than after, and Teheran can always hew towards China if its relations with Moscow become frosty.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria has secretly executed thousands of political prisoners, report from Amnesty International

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syria-has-secretly-executed-thousands-of-political-prisoners-rights-group/2017/02/06/e4a7f56a-ecc5-11e6-a100-fdaaf400369a_story.html?tid=sm_tw&utm_term=.ba7bc04ccd9e#

[CrowBat]

SAA efforts to encircle Bab create a series of second order escalation problems for the Turkish backed effort to create a de-facto safe zone

And underscores why its so dangerous — and wrong — to simply declare a “safe zone” without having a plan to defend it.
I do not understand why are all the problems this Turkish effort is facing so much ignored?

Firstly, we've seen - so often, again and again - that the Daesh is anything but easy to beat. Pilling forces and unleashing all sorts of fire-power against it is just not making the job. We've seen that well-organized and -run operations collapse in face of anything between a single and a few SVBIED-counterattacks by the Daesh.

And there is no way of forcing it to flee. It takes a sustained effort, resulting in killing, smashing, destroying the Daesh. We've seen this all over northern and north-western Iraq, we've seen this so often in Syria, all the way from Ayan al-Arab (aka 'Kobane') to Tikrit.

But nah, 'Turks can't do it'. As if the Iraqi Army can do it, or as if Kurds can do it - and that with all the support the CENTCOM can offer? (I'll not even go into discussing Syrian Kurds or that 'Syrian Arab Army', IRGC etc.).

In the case of Turkey, there's a military that was de-facto 'decimated' since the coup attempt of the last year: its top commanders are all out; even most of its mid-rank commanders are out. The chain of command is broken and still in the process of recovery; units have been disbanded, even peace-time ops, training and maintenance schedules have all not recovered to pre-coup times. Most of what was left with the military is already busy fighting the PKK, i.e. trying to kick it out of bases inside Turkey the terrorists were able to establish during the cease-fire - and that in most complex scenario possible (urban warfare).

What was left after all of this - and that's an equivalent of two task-forces that are not even 'brigade-sized' - was deployed to fight the Daesh in northern Syria, 'reinforced' by a hodgepodge of Syrian insurgent units. Most of the latter were weakened by more than one year of fighting the Daesh, the IRGC, the Russians, plus five years of fighting Assadists.

The rest should be clear alone from taking a good look at the map of the area where this force is operating, and at least superficial following of related news: as soon as this force drove deep enough into Syria, it found itself on the receiving end of Kurdish attacks into both of its flanks, and Assadist air strikes. Plus Daesh's counterattacks. It's a small wonder the CENTCOM didn't bomb it too.

Which means: the further south it advances, the more it moves around al-Bab, the more are its flanks exposed to Kurdish counterattacks; the more of its own forces are Turks and Syrians forced to deploy just to secure these flanks and what they have captured so far. And all the time one must keep in mind: 'a single or few' Daesh 'counter-attacks' by SVBIEDs can 'delete' all the hard work of an advance that took days, weeks, perhaps months.

Alone the fact this zone has survived so far underscores that there is very much a plan to defend it (otherwise it wouldn't be there any more).

What Turks and allied Syrians are missing is the freedom of manoeuvre necessary to outflank the Daesh. For this they have no space, precisely because of US-supported Kurds that are meanwhile cooperating with Russians and Assadists on either side of their salient.

But foremost: left alone by its 'allies' USA and the NATO, Turkey is also forced to run this operation under extremely limiting conditions. They can't rush, say, a full division into Syria without Russian consent, i.e. without a threat of war with Russia. They can't even provide decent air cover to its and allied ground forces without provoking Moscow.

But, this is all not considered, and instead Turks are simply declared for 'incompetent' and 'lacking a plan'...?

Makes me curious to see any other military force - including any from the USA - alone surviving such conditions, not to talk about being as successful as Turks were so far.

[CrowBat]

...The threat of increased US intervention held the Moscow-Teheran-Damascus axis together, but without that threat, its differences are laid bare.You've got my agreement here.

Plus, mind the old lesson that 'victory has many fathers...' etc.


In addition, Ankara, Amman, Riyadh and Doha would have been under far more scrutiny and restrictions in terms of arming the FSA under a Clinton presidency. He who pays the piper calls the tune, after all..That's right. But, right now there's no difference in this regards - and most of money and supplies are provided to fundamentalists instead.

Indeed, in this regards the US policy under Trump can only be described as another shot into own foot, i.e. continuation of Oblabla's policy of shooting own foot at every opportunity.

Overall, I simply do not understand any more how is it possible that everybody is defending this cluster-#### created in Syria, and declaring anything for 'better' - but a prevention of all of this from happening by a regime-change back in 2011-2012...


It’s said that Maher is a loose cannon and a war criminal who has no aversion to setting the Shabiha loose on civilians or gassing them, so if Maher was leading the NDF, the war would enter an even more vicious phase.Few things here:

- NDF: there was never something like 'NDF' like a unified force with central command etc. All the announcements about creation of the NDF were white-washing of Iranian activity in regards of establishing various sectarian militias in Syria.

- Maher: if Maher would be in a position to command and control a body like what NDF is (wrongly) assumed to be, he would've coupped himself in power already years ago.

The fact he didn't means he's not in control of anything more but the 4th Division and one of 'intelligence/security agencies', plus various of rag-tag gangs owned by various of Alawite warlord.

With this, any further discussion to this topic is actually surplus.


Despite his figurehead status and all of the atrocities committed in his name, I would imagine that Assad is far more “moderate” than his brother.Neither is 'better' and even less so 'more moderate'. The only difference between them is that Bashar would never go to the street to shoot civilians with his own hands - like Maher did.


The question is: if not Assad, then who?Nobody. Russians know this and that's why they saved him. Iranians know this actually too, but meanwhile they have reached a point at which they can survive on their own in Syria.


Who among the Alawi leadership could make peace with the Sunni Arabs and the Kurds, expel the IRGC and protect the Alawis and other minorities from being overrun by Daesh or Nusra?Nobody. Alawite leaders are not even curious to make peace with Sunnis - or if, then only on their own conditions. Kurds are for them, 'just the next episode, once they finish Sunnis', Daesh etc. too.

And Nusra is no 'enemy' for them. They see it the same way the Russians do: a 'useful tool'. That's why they are never attacking it.


It seems like a bit of a stretch to me. You have yourself written extensively on failed Russian arms sales to Iran, and the disputes over the nuclear reactor and S-400 projects are well-known. Russia probably had more influence in Iran by way of Tudeh prior to the Revolution than after, and Teheran can always hew towards China if its relations with Moscow become frosty.No, Russia never had any kind of influence in Tehran - especially not because of Tudeh (and even less so at the times there was still Tudeh as 'significant force in Iran').

Precisely that's the difference now in comparison to earlier times: now there are 2-3 IRGC cliques that would love to establish a major military alliance with Russia. This is something that was never before the case.

It just seems that Putin remains insistent on his decision not to let Iran develop into a serious conventional military power.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #Damascus suburb #Erbin today after airstrikes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG1RJiHGAfE#

Aftermath of brutal air strikes on residential area in #Idlib today.
Activists don't know who is behind it, suspect also the US.
8 killed

[OUTLAW 09]

Kremlin announces a "very important phone call to be made by Putin today", no other news given.

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: No #FSA gains against #ISIS around #Al_Bab today, but reports that pro-#Assad forces captured Birat al bab south of #Al_Bab.

Aleppo: #ISIS captured 9 regime checkpoints, seized a BMP and weapons east of #Khanaser after failed regime attack.

Important: Last time the reports about #Khanaser came only from "local sources" and most of them were fake.

[OUTLAW 09]

Costs of Admiral Kuznetsov deployment to the Mediterranean by #Russia visualised:

[OUTLAW 09]

Lavrov Says Damascus Was 'Weeks' From Falling To 'Terrorists' When Russia Intervened. True?
http://bit.ly/2jZ4ycP

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: Pro-#Assad forces are coming dangerously close to #Al_Bab.

Aleppo: New Turkish artillery strikes against #YPG positions near #Azaz.

East of #Damascus today.
#Assad ignores the ceasefire, his jets strike civilians in 5 towns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WhVtMxdobc#

More massive #Assad air force attacks on towns east of #Damascus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3lrqeWjYW8#…

Russian TV with pro-#Assad forces in #Aran, 7 km south of #alBab.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR_vYlvsz6Q#…

Of the #Idlib Massacre.
Number of deaths is up to 20 in massive overnight bomb attacks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VATITvLt9s#…

More footage from Arbin, where 4 civilians including a baby died and 10 were injured.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc-VB-YoXjM#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Damascus: Pro-#Assad forces killed in their trenches by rebels at #Hawsh_Nasri frontline in Eastern #Ghouta today.

[OUTLAW 09]

BREAKING: Turkish-backed forces wage fierce attack on #Syria's Al-Bab from three fronts as they advance against #ISIS group.

[OUTLAW 09]

BREAKING Turkish Presidential sources say CIA Director Mike Pompeo will visit Turkey tomorrow to discuss PYD and Gulen terrorist network

[OUTLAW 09]

Legal News: Did Russia Just Legalize PMSC’s?
http://feraljundi.com/9166/legal-news-did-russia-just-legalize-pmscs/#.WJrb52LpxNs.twitter#

[OUTLAW 09]

My friends from suburb of #Albab .. Soon insha'allh will be Inside
May Allah protect You

[OUTLAW 09]

Areas (blue) gained by #FSA (backed by Turkish forces) from #ISIS in #AlBab city North #Aleppo. Battle onoing
http://goo.gl/J6xsbK

[OUTLAW 09]

Al Arabiya English
✔
@AlArabiya_Eng
BREAKING: #Saudi FM Jubeir says Riyadh and Ankara share identical stance on regional issues
http://ara.tv/9tfxc

[OUTLAW 09]

Homs: #Assad airstrikes on #Al_Waer have killed 6 civilians and wounded 25 today.

EasternGhouta: SAA/SRG T-72AV equipped with Sarab-2 ATGM jammer spotted during Jaish al-Islam's successful counter-attack in Hawsh Nasri.

[OUTLAW 09]

Caucasus Emirate's Vilayat KBK released a video of CE fighters in #Syria
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2017/02/caucasus-emirate-branch-highlights-fighters-in-syria.php#

[OUTLAW 09]

Heavy #Assad and #Russia|n airstrikes on civilians in rebel-held areas every day and a few Grad rockets are the only retaliation by rebels.

Homs: Pro-#Assad forces ran into an #ISIS minefield east of #Tiyas Airbase. 10 pro-#Assad forces were killed.

EuphratesShield shelling base of Aqil Hill before takeover (#TSK M60T knocked out before visible). Geolocated here:
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.370831&lon=37.493269&z=16&m#

In 1st statement #ISIS acknoledges loss of parts of Aqil Hill but claims repelled ES from Youth Housing & Bzaah (+ briefly took its E. Hill)

#ISIS recaptured Hayyan gasfield, in northwest of #Palmyra city, After the Syrian regime control for two days only.

Poor people in besieged #Al_Waer have no medicine, not enough clothes, not enough to eat and #Assad terrorists bombing them.

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #ISIS claims that they have recaptured Youth Housing and entire #Bzaah from #EuphratesShield. Fierce clashes on Sheikh Aqil.

Pro-#Hezbollah channel proudly shows #Assad air force attacks on al-#Waer in #Homs, ignoring the #Syria ceasefire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV60IMbFshQ&feature=youtu.be#…

OP-ED @OrientNewsEn
Assad regime vs. Turkey:
The race to #alBab
http://orient-news.net/en/news_show/131720/0/Assad-regime-vs-Turkey-The-race-to-al-Bab#…

[OUTLAW 09]

HTS has announced that its leader Abu Jaber (Hashem al-Sheikh) will soon issue a video statement

Amid investigative reports on #Assad regime’s industrialized use of torture & mass execution,
READ this 1st-hand account by @putintintin1 -

Likes of @TulsiGabbard @SenRichardBlack & @Dennis_Kucinich met Grand Mufti Hassoun, who also called suicide bombers to attack the EU.
@TulsiGabbard breaks House rules by failing to reveal:
*Who funded the trip to #Syria?
*Who did she meet with?
http://thebea.st/2kk4ArU

Truly shocking details:

- “Trials” last 1-3mins
- 20-50 hanged at once
- Guards call it “the party”
- Some authorized by Grand Mufti!

CENTCOM lying again??????
@CENTCOM/@OIRSpox claimed 6 strikes “near al-Bab” yesterday.
-> Leading #EuphratesShield figure tells me “not aware” of any US action.

[OUTLAW 09]

A long & controversial read by @Roy_Gutman, after 6-month’s work:

“Has the [#YPG in #Syria] Committed War Crimes?
https://www.thenation.com/article/have-the-syrian-kurds-committed-war-crimes/#…

[OUTLAW 09]

24hrs on, Jund al-Aqsa’s gains vs. vetted #FSA in #Hama are now clear - Khan Sheikhoun, Halfaya, KafrZita & Taybat al-Imam all captured:

[OUTLAW 09]

SDF video from south of #Manbij contains a British accent & a Bushmaster PMV.
= UK Special Forces embed vs. #ISIS?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EFb5jSnDc4#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Mercenaries were sent to Syria under guise of "energy specialists". Here's a Syrian embassy "invitation" + top-secret private mil. license

[OUTLAW 09]

US officials: Russia launched six ballistic missiles from Latakia airbase into Idlib in last two days killing dozens

US killed Abu Hani al-Masri near Idlib, Syria. He was a founding member of Egyptian Islamic Jihad and was Afghan mujahideen in 80s-90s.

[OUTLAW 09]

Liwaa Aqsa group (formerly Jund Aqsa) | #Syria
https://goo.gl/o0QbWv

Syria: "Liwaa Aqsa" militants start war on Opposition factions in S-#Idlib / N-#Hama and trying to seize territory.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syrian AF is now flying CAS support missions for IS???????

Breaking: 4 Turkish soldiers martyred 2 wounded in an air attack by Syrian regime forces on a building near Al Bab.

[OUTLAW 09]

After the #MuslimBan was announced, a newspaper in Baghdad depicted Trump doing ISIS’ work for them. Because Trump did

Trump's Muslim Ban proved that the Is narrative that the West was fighting against all Muslims....was actually totally correct....

[OUTLAW 09]

IS also retreated from Shamawiyah & lost all ground west of #alBab #SAA took over

6 #Turkey soldiers killed in #alBab battle the past 2 days

[OUTLAW 09]

One of the doctors talking about the injuries affect by #Chlorine_gas in #Erbin city 9-2-2017
Full video
https://youtu.be/OWvGdN6ywLs

[OUTLAW 09]

Assessing the Claim that the United States Bombed an Aid Headquarters in Syria via @bellingcat

https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2017/02/09/asssessing-the-claim-that-the-us-bombed-an-aid-hq-in-syria/#

[OUTLAW 09]

Fuel crisis in Syria: More than a kilometer of double-parked cars waiting for gas in Latakia. No petrol deliveries in Hama for almost week.

[OUTLAW 09]

Just another country that sought "a good deal" with #Putin.
Turkish troops & equipment, destroyed by Syrian regime air strikes near #alBab.

[OUTLAW 09]

Just another country that sought "a good deal" with #Putin.
Turkish troops & equipment, destroyed by Syrian regime air strikes near #alBab.

Air strikes were in fact carried out by Russian AF....

[OUTLAW 09]

Latest situation and clashing points in Al Bab. TAF / FSA against Assad regime and ISIS.

[OUTLAW 09]

Tahrir al-Sham (#HTS) leader Abu Jaber promised new attacks against the #Assad regime. The battle against the Shia aggression has priority.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia says our #Saydnaya report & calls for an end to Assad's extermination campaign are a "deliberate provocation"
http://tass.com/politics/930028/amp#

[OUTLAW 09]

Syrian Army, Turkish forces clash for first time in east #Aleppo: opposition media
https://aml.ink/vMxG6

Rebels reportedly take Tel Rasho in Jabal Akrad following surprise Latakia attack
https://twitter.com/Step_Agency/status/829752723356655616#

[davidbfpo]

From a previously unheard of website IIRC, 'The Nation' and with a headline and sub-title:
 Have the Syrian Kurds Committed War Crimes?
This special report, which also exposes their collusion with the Assad regime, undermines their claim to be leading a democratic, open society.
Link:https://www.thenation.com/article/have-the-syrian-kurds-committed-war-crimes/

[davidbfpo]

A recent short article by Professor Scott Lucas, a Syria watcher, with a sub-title:
After nearly six years of uprising, conflict and chaos, the partition of Syria is imminent. President Bashar al-Assad will of course rail against it; his crucial ally Iran will probably resist too, and the marginalised US won’t even acknowledge the prospect. But the lines are nonetheless being drawn.

(At the end) Partition is far from ideal, and it may only be short-term — but at this point, it’s the only viable alternative to endless slaughter, displacement, and destruction.
Link:http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/thebirminghambrief/items/2017/01/partition-syria.aspx

There is a longer 2016 article in RUSI Journal, note written during a ceasefire period (however short) and the authors aim to:
..consider the challenges of peace- and state-building, identifying both risks and mitigating actions. The article argues that risk mitigation is possible and should begin now.
Link:http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03071847.2016.1193353

I just wonder can there be such a local compromise and who is going to "police" the boundaries? If it was to happen now, after six years of a civil war, "policing" the boundaries could be very dangerous. Who would want to be the "jam" in-between?

Everything I have read states Syrians do not want partition.

[OUTLAW 09]

EuhratesShield: #FSA seized a BMP from pro-Regime forces after they fled in Al-Ghuz region.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian officers in largely Eastern Orthodox town of Suqaylabiyah, Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

After accidentally killing 3 Turkish soldiers, #Russia: we don’t believe #Turkey will form ‘buffer zone’ in #Syria
http://bit.ly/2lwTGAa

"Accident"...seriously doubt it.....more like an "armed warning"......

[OUTLAW 09]

For those that do not believe that Syria and Ukraine are not intertwined.....

In Syria they also walked the streets initially in a very peaceful manner demanding...the rule of law and good governance...and then Assad and Putin and Iran have unleased genocide...starvation.....ethnic cleansing and a massive killing machine on those that demanded those simple demands...

Just a side comment for this thread....in Ukraine they strive for the rule of law....something hard for the former Eastern/central European countries under the Soviet rule and then Russian rule in the face of institutionalized Soviet style corruption.....YET they still try....

It was the underlying battle cry of the Maidan.......AND in countless Syrian towns and villages...

We in the US often forget the cries about protecting the rule of law and how many around the world want to emulate the US concept of the rule of law....and since the election of Trump it appears that he and his merry band actually want to do away with it......

The following is the perfect example of why the US judicial system ensures the rule of law and what we often call checks and balances on power grabbing...by any of the three branches of US government....including itself.

If you want to see what an irritated US independent judiciary looks like, it’s this paragraph.....:D

[OUTLAW 09]

Disgusting. Assad playing into anti-immigration hysteria, claiming those he bombed from their homes are terrorists.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-syrias-assad-tells-yahoo-news-some-refugees-are-definitely-terrorists-182401926.html#

Assad now trying to assist Trump in his Muslim Ban.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia halted Syrian army, rebel clash in northern Syria: sources
http://reut.rs/2ktNuYu

Just another Friday in #Syria.
People peacefully protesting for freedom.
#Assad and #Putin bombing the country.

Hama: Ahrar Al-Sham rebels have killed several pro-#Assad forces near #Atshan in Northern #Hama and seized their weapons.

Aleppo: #EuphratesShield forces have captured Al-Hakma Hospital and ZamZam Road in Western #Al_Bab.

[OUTLAW 09]

Putin didn't acknowledge mistake in airstrike that killed 3 Turkish soldiers. Blames Turkish coordinates.
http://www.newsru.com/russia/10feb2017/albabkremlin.html?utm_source=tema-main#

Typical Russian refrain...."it ain't us".....

Raqqa: #ISIS reporting that their fighters sneaked into #Khunayz village in Northern #Raqqa and killed 6 #YPG commanders.

List with names of 70 pro-#Assad forces who were killed in #Syria within 48 hours. (Wednesday and Thursday).

Damascus: Another failed regime attack on #Hawsh_Nasri frontline in Eastern Ghouta. 3 regime tanks damaged, several regime fighters killed.

Syria #AlBab town frontlines today

[OUTLAW 09]

The US should bear in mind that if it wants to "cooperate with Russia on fighting ISIS" Russia is likely to bomb its troops "accidentally". :D

[OUTLAW 09]

Raqqa the B-52 targeted a place near Raqqa prison north of the city for the first time we think 2 days ago

[OUTLAW 09]

YPG/#SDF hand over Tal Rifaat & other towns/villages in northern #Aleppo to Regime (note: flag = #Assad rule entire #Syria incl.

[OUTLAW 09]

SDF reached NE outskirts of #Raqqa
Battle at this bridge
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.000473&lon=39.094591&z=15&m=b#

EuphratesShield forces seized Al-Bab's new market inching closer to the Silos, one of main #ISIS defensive positions.

DeirEzzor: #ISIS has destroyed an #Assad heavy machine gun southeast of #DeirEzzor Airport today.

[davidbfpo]

Outlaw 09 posted two posts back:
YPG/#SDF hand over Tal Rifaat & other towns/villages in northern #Aleppo to Regime (note: flag = #Assad rule entire #Syria incl.

Outlaw 09,
My geography of Syria is limited. Is Tal Rifaat the Kurdish enclave in Aleppo city (which was defended by the YPG) or in the province?
I have a recollection that the enclave in Aleppo city remained Kurdish, but the YPG defenders left.
Presumably both the regime and YPG have exchanged their communities before.

[OUTLAW 09]

Outlaw 09 posted two posts back:

Outlaw 09,
My geography of Syria is limited. Is Tal Rifaat the Kurdish enclave in Aleppo city (which was defended by the YPG) or in the province?
I have a recollection that the enclave in Aleppo city remained Kurdish, but the YPG defenders left.
Presumably both the regime and YPG have exchanged their communities before.

It was an exchange...goes to what the Russians have been pushing as a solution a federated Syria...with a Kurdish zone...which clashes with Turkish ideas....

[OUTLAW 09]

The first T-72-based VBIED ever, and it failed to detonate its payload. Islamic State near al-Seen airbase, Syria

If the Assad regime seizes #Tadef before #EuphratesShield, fighting between both groups is inevitable.

Aleppo: #ISIS snipers have killed 5 pro-#Assad forces south of #Al_Bab today.

Assad wants #Al_Bab for his propaganda. Someone said there would be a deal and the regime would stop in #Aran. Wrong.

[OUTLAW 09]

BreakingAleppo reveals the #Assad regime's deliberate destruction campaign in a never before seen way—Join Feb13:

http://Goo.gl/FWA90i

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Expect intense battle for #alBab town + suburbs between #FSA+ #TSK, #Assad-forces & #IslamicState

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #ISIS ATGM strike against Turkish army tank east of #Al_Bab today.

[OUTLAW 09]

IF the shoe was on the other foot......?????

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #alBab #Assad -forces shelling #Tadef with IRAMs

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #EuphratesShield forces at the #Al_Bab Silos today.

Aleppo: There are still 800-1000 #ISIS fighters in the Al_Bab area according to estimates. Also reports that reinforcements arrived.

Aleppo: Pro-#Assad forces shelling #Tadef with Grad rockets now and preparing to storm the town south of #Al_Bab.

Iran again allowing Syria-bound Russian planes to use airspace-report
http://reut.rs/2lzNO8v

[OUTLAW 09]

MORE detailed evidence that Russia is basically supporting Islamic State....

Ahrar al-Sham fights JFS & JaA in southern #Idlib province.
So #Russia bombed ... the Ahrar HQ in the area.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzPYxjQ0W2U#


SO Russian bombs the Syrian rebels who are attacking AQ....ie JFS and JaA.....

AND these are the "friends" who Trump wants to fight IS with??????

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #EuphratesShield forces have captured most parts of #Zamzam District & the junction east of #Al_Bab Silos.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.351719&lon=37.511230&z=16&m=b#

Syria RT saying Moscow agreed with Ankara on "dividing line" after regime take Tadef

Also today, the #Assad regime targeted residential areas in #Rastan city with mortars and arty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSrT3gQ9sx8#

Official #EuphratesShield map shows Zamzam district almost fully seized from #ISIS in S. part of Al-Bab.

[OUTLAW 09]

It's not a traffic, it's a cars waiting to get the fuel in #Damascus, #Assad areas

Syria PM Khamis has issued an order for Gov bodies to cut gas/diesel use by 50%, excluding hospitals & Ministry of Defense.

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: Pro-#Assad forces are blocked now. They will never reach #Al_Bab without a bloody battle with #EuphratesShield.

Aleppo: #EuphratesShield has captured the Qublia al-Janoub Car Scrapyard south of #Al_Bab.

Damascus: Failed regime attack at #Hazrama frontline. 4 pro-#Assad forces were killed before they reached the rebel trenches. #Ghouta

Aleppo: New map shows confirmed #EuphratesShield gains in #Al_Bab:
- Zamzam District
- Bakery
- Silos
- Al-Bab Roundabout
- Car Scrapyard

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian air strike on Turkish troops was certainly not an "accident" as the Russians attempt to cover it up......

Acc. to Russian source RuAF strike on Turkish soldiers in Ghuz was at request of Tiger Forces after failed assault:
http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/articles/2017/02/10/677189-polnuyu-versiyu

Russians flying CAS for Assad forces.....against Turkey.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #Latakia right now, most gas stations shut due to lack of gasoline or diesel. The few open look like this:

[OUTLAW 09]

WOW......Homs: #Assad regime bombed their own refinery in #Homs Province.

Regime bombed own refinery in #Homs with ballistic rocket

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Street battle in #alBab
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zHk0Zbe66Y#

Syria Battle for silos in #alBab
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK8HsdWy70A#

Claim: Turkey's Sabra M60T operational after ATGM hit W of al-Bab.
Disproved: Recent satellite imagery shows Sabra in exact same position.

[OUTLAW 09]

Also visible on February 7 satellite imagery: two destroyed Leopard 2A4 tanks (possibly by airstrikes) and an Otokar ZPT, west of al-Bab.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Footage from #Tadef roundabout at southern entrance of #alBab
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYTvq4SDr0I#

FSA #TSK inside #Albab
The second hospital were taken by FSA and the important street of Zamzam

Idlib: #Liwa_al_Aqsa has captured #Al_Tamanah east of #Khan_Shaykhun.

[CrowBat]

Outlaw 09 posted two posts back:

Outlaw 09,
My geography of Syria is limited. Is Tal Rifaat the Kurdish enclave in Aleppo city (which was defended by the YPG) or in the province?
I have a recollection that the enclave in Aleppo city remained Kurdish, but the YPG defenders left.
Presumably both the regime and YPG have exchanged their communities before.
Tel Rifaat used to have a population of 45,000, predominantly Sunni Arabs. It was one of centrepieces of the uprising in this part of Syria. It was assaulted by PKK/PYD-Kurds from the Efrin enclave in February last year, when insurgents were busy fighting the IRGC-drive on Nubol/Zahra - and the entire population fled. Subsequently, Kurds looted the place to the last thing they could take away.

The Kurdish 'enclave' in Aleppo is the Sheikh Maqsood District, north of the Old City. It was under PKK/PYD control during the siege, but since the IRGC captured the city, the Kurds accepted the regime control again.

Overall, no exchange there: just Kurds doing the same they always do, turning as the wind blows.

[CrowBat]

WOW......Homs: #Assad regime bombed their own refinery in #Homs Province.

Regime bombed own refinery in #Homs with ballistic rocket


Would be interesting to find out who exactly is in control of that refinery. Might explain why it was rocketed (especially in the light of this: Iran and Russia are Apparently fighting each other in Syria (https://warisboring.com/iran-and-russia-are-apparently-fighting-each-other-in-syria-6f9d79b911da#.3bytkefvf)).

[CrowBat]

Also visible on February 7 satellite imagery: two destroyed Leopard 2A4 tanks (possibly by airstrikes) and an Otokar ZPT, west of al-Bab.
All of these vehicles were those left behind after a famous Daesh SVIED counterattack on Hospital Hill, back in late December. All were subsequently bombed out by the Turkish AF.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #IS blow up Pipelines of Hayan Gas field west of #Palmyra

[OUTLAW 09]

WARNING:

Google has warned a number of prominent journalists that they are being targeted by state-sponsored hackers
http://politi.co/2lDD7Cm

[OUTLAW 09]

Army Of Islam @Islamarmy_eng3
Fierce fighting going on since early morning at Housh-Nasri front in the eastern Ghouta.

Rebels try to storm Mansheya neighborhood

Assad-forces continues shelling on #Tadef suburb of #alBab, but not able to breach #IS defence lines till now

NOTE...if Assad keeps this up...we will be seeing a major clash between TFs and FSA.....and Assad Hezbollah forces....

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Heavy clashes in southern parts of #Daraa city

[OUTLAW 09]

IMPORTANT.....concerns fake news spreaders....

The Europe subReddit locks and deletes comments on a @DFRLab link about Reddit being used to spread far right fakes

https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/5t6137/spread_it_on_reddit_how_a_fake_story_about_angela/#

[OUTLAW 09]

AlBab Updates: #FSA took control of Al-Shihabi farm in north of Al-Bab city.

Syria Rebels killed 14 #IS members in farm area at northern entrance of #alBab
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.387347&lon=37.515543&z=15&m=b#

[OUTLAW 09]

Interesting: #Turkey sent its most loyal "#FSA" ally, the Sultan Murad Brigade, to secure #alBab's southern flank.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp5-Eq
zJRv0&feature=youtu.be&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQ p5-EqzJRv0%26feature%3Dyoutu.be&has_verified=1#

It is well armed and can take on Assad and Iranian forces if need be....

Turkish military intervention in Syria will not end in Al-Bab, but will continue as long as #ISIS remains, says Turkish Pres.
BREAKING: Turkish president Erdogan says his country's operations in Syria will not stop at Al-Bab, but will also include ISIS-held Raqqah
NOTE:
Which is exactly why Iran pushed for an operation south of al-Bab. #Syria is a real life version of "go" (the board game)
For that matter, Iran doesn't want a land corridor from Iran to Med/Lebanon, etc, cut by Turkey

Assad forces continues to blow up resident buildings in Wadi Barada towns & arrest families
#Israel methods of collective punishment :mad:
AND Team Trump want to support Assad against IS...?

ISIS blowing up #Assad regime position east of #Khanaser with mortar strikes.

Syria #alBab town: #FSA in street battle with #IS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rT0-6K6aC0#

[OUTLAW 09]

Fascinating by @ABarnardNYT on geopolitical knots in the race to retake ISIS' final stronghold along Turkish border:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/08/world/middleeast/battle-al-bab-syria-geopolitical-test.html?ref=todayspaper#

[OUTLAW 09]

Excellent UK research on one of the major Russian propaganda machines "Sputnik international" that even the Trump WH seems to follow.....

"A way not to convince people but to confuse them" - @BBCTrending reports on #Russian propaganda machine
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-38936812#

[OUTLAW 09]

An excellent image forensics tool.....for open source analysis work.

Reveal Project @RevealEU
Did you use our #image #forensics tool?
Do you have feedback for us?
Let us know!
Or try it now:
http://reveal-mklab.iti.gr/reveal/

[OUTLAW 09]

Daraa: #Assad regime bombing #Daraa City today.

Syria #FSA try to storm #Qabasin northern suburb of #alBab again now


Stop Fake @StopFakingNews
Here is your weekly update on Kremlin disinformation efforts
http://www.stopfake.org/en/kremlin-watch-monitor-february-9-2017/#

[OUTLAW 09]

After main #ISIS defensive system breached, #EuphratesShield will now have to cope with many secondary defenses erected on N. Al-Bab's front

[OUTLAW 09]

The blatant issue of confirmation bias within some circles of #Syria terrorism analysts is becoming ridiculous.

This design = now the norm:

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria’s opposition also agreed to sent the same delegation of armed groups to the upcoming talks in #Astana, led by Mohammed Alloush:

Due to internal tensions, geopolitical dynamics & personal reasons, Riyad Hijab will not be present in #Geneva talks, at least for now.

[OUTLAW 09]

IF you see US SOF embedded then that rebel group gets US support.....if not then no support in fighting against IS.....

1,000s of US airstrikes vs. #ISIS have gone unreported.

Why?

Army strikes & close air support not counted by OIR:

http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/airstrikes-unreported-syria-iraq-afghanistan-islamic-state-al-qaeda-taliban#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Opposition-regime hostilities are intensifying in northern #Syria. Violence today in:

- W. Aleppo city
- Latakia
- SW al-Bab
- Homs

[OUTLAW 09]

IMPORTANT to read......

The Islamic State Explains Its Secret To#Success
By Kyle Orton (@KyleWOrton) on February 11, 2017
https://kyleorton1991.wordpress.com/2017/02/11/the-islamic-state-explains-its-secret-to-success/

Pro-Al-Qaeda Ideologue on Merging With Non-Jihadi#Groups
By#Kyle Orton#(@KyleWOrton) on#February 5, 2017
https://kyleorton1991.wordpress.com/2017/02/05/pro-al-qaeda-ideologue-on-merging-with-non-jihadi-groups/

Leader of New Al-Qaeda Group in Syria#Speaks
By Kyle Orton (@KyleWOrton) on February
https://kyleorton1991.wordpress.com/2017/02/09/leader-of-new-al-qaeda-group-in-syria-speaks/

Adnan al-Suwaydawi: Saddam’s Spy, Islamic State#Leader
By#Kyle Orton#(@KyleWOrton) on May 24, 2015
https://kyleorton1991.wordpress.com/2017/01/31/adnan-al-suwaydawi-saddams-spy-islamic-state-leader/

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #ISIS detonated a massive #SVBIED against #EuphratesShield forces near #Bzaah east of #Al_Bab.

[OUTLAW 09]

Intense clashes between rebels and the regime in #Daraa city today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__Io_-DILyE#

Damascus: #Assad regime arrested 100s of men and women in #Wadi_Barada.

[OUTLAW 09]

Daraa: Rebels launched an offensive against the #Assad regime in #Daraa City, reports they using tunnel bomb(s) and VBIED(s).

[OUTLAW 09]

HTS's #Deraa offensive seems to be an attempt to break the continued #Jordan-#Russia agreement to freeze southern #Syria hostilities.

With some limited backing from local factions, #HTS has launched an offensive - "Death Before Humiliation" - in #Deraa, southern #Syria:

Daraa: The #Assad regime positions were wiped out by 1 #HTS SVBIED and 1 tunnel bomb not far away from each other.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=32.610586&lon=36.092051&z=17&m=b

#Daraa: Fighting at #Kherbet_Ghazalah. Regime reinforcements for #Daraa City are under attack. 1 regime vehicle was destroyed with ATGM.

Daraa: #Assad regime supporters don't know what's going on in #Daraa and quoting rebel sources that the regime lost territory.

Daraa: Photos of some of the pro-#Assad forces who were killed by #HTS rebels in #Daraa today. The regime losses are huge

Raqqa: #ISIS reporting that they have killed 24 #YPG fighters west of #Raqqa, wounded 30 more and recaptured some villages.

[OUTLAW 09]

The Battle for Al-Bab: Verifying Turkish Military Vehicle Losses via @bellingcat
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2017/02/12/battle-al-bab-verifying-turkish-military-vehicle-losses/#

[OUTLAW 09]

Report Rebuts #Russia|’s Claims of Restraint in #Syria|n Bombing Campaign
https://nyti.ms/2l57dBm
#

[OUTLAW 09]

Report Rebuts #Russia|’s Claims of Restraint in #Syria|n Bombing Campaign
https://nyti.ms/2l57dBm


Also worthwhile to note after the repeated us of chlorine as a chemical weapon in Aleppo we're seeing it used in Damascus

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Clashes btw #IS & Regime in outskirts of southern #Damascus Hadjar al Aswad neigborhood at air defence base 246

Hama province today.
#Russia's Su-25 are back, bombing innocent civilians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApT97jX7hro#…

Russian state tv prepares the ground for Russian air force attacks on #Daraa.
Now "Nusra" fights the regime...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjjkktBdRyk#…

[OUTLAW 09]

CIT (en) @CITeam_en
.@mod_russia (finally) noticed ISIS blowing up monuments in Palmyra (a month after the fact). Here's some context:
https://www.facebook.com/CITeam.org/posts/737939999692313#

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #Assad-forces continues advance toward southern rural #Manbij

ForensicArchitecture @ForensicArchi
We have been asked to investigate multiple strikes on the M2 hospital in Aleppo. Our full video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CJ-KKLzyBU#

Syria Rebels claim seized several buildings in southern #Daraa neighborhood Mansheya

[OUTLAW 09]

W. #Daraa: main Regime checkpoint Abu Najib in Al-Manshiyah district after Rebel tunnel bomb. Area under Rebel control.

[OUTLAW 09]

Gas released in a reported chlorine attack in Aleppo on November 22nd 2016
http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/events/upcoming-events/detail/breakingaleppo…

On 2/10/17 Syrian Govt. forces launched another toxic gas attack on #Arbin in E. Ghouta. 3 injured. Once again, chlorine suspected.

Note that Friday's suspected chemical attack on #Arbin in besieged E. Ghouta was the third such attack on the same town in one week.

[OUTLAW 09]

Another map shows more gains by #FSA in #Daraa

[OUTLAW 09]

Syrian regime forces systematically used chemical weapons during the battle for East Aleppo.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/13/world/middleeast/syrian-chlorine-bombs-aleppo-human-rights-watch.html?ref=world …

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria: Opposition factions captured Omar Mosque & Al-Najjar buildings and announced their control of most of Manshiya in #Daraa city.

Syria: Opposition factions (#FSA, #AhrarAlSham & #TahrirAlSham) launched new offensive on Regime in Manshiya neighborhood in #Daraa city.

[OUTLAW 09]

Gas cylinders filled with chlorine used against civilians in Aleppo turning underground shelters into death traps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWK7xo-GbCU …

[OUTLAW 09]

How the liberation of al-Bab exposed another case of #Assad-#ISIS cooperation
http://www.orient-news.net/en/news_show/132071/0/How-the-liberation-of-al-Bab-exposed-another-case-of-Assad-ISIS-cooperation …

Syria #Hama Seems assault on regime hold Kernaz now
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.395207&lon=36.487999&z=13&m=b …

Latakia: Reports that rebel artillery shelling has killed and wounded several #Iran|ian #IRGC forces on Jabal al-Akrad.

Syria Report from #Daraa city -Manshiyah water tower visible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9RX_0KZKdA …

Aleppo: Video shows #Assad regime helicopters destroying villages south of #Al_Bab with barrel bombs.

192 states, including Syria, Russia and Iran, have banned chemical weapons. Will Syria’s use have consequences?
https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/02/13/syria-coordinated-chemical-attacks-aleppo …

[OUTLAW 09]

Tel Rifaat used to have a population of 45,000, predominantly Sunni Arabs. It was one of centrepieces of the uprising in this part of Syria. It was assaulted by PKK/PYD-Kurds from the Efrin enclave in February last year, when insurgents were busy fighting the IRGC-drive on Nubol/Zahra - and the entire population fled. Subsequently, Kurds looted the place to the last thing they could take away.

The Kurdish 'enclave' in Aleppo is the Sheikh Maqsood District, north of the Old City. It was under PKK/PYD control during the siege, but since the IRGC captured the city, the Kurds accepted the regime control again.

Overall, no exchange there: just Kurds doing the same they always do, turning as the wind blows.

Syria Report from Tell Rifaat in northern #Aleppo
-seems ruled by Jaysh al-Thuwar/ #SDF & not by regimehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsYV0ekV0p0 …